H1ghr Music (stylized as H1GHR MUSIC; Korean: 하이어뮤직레코즈) is an international hip hop and R&B record label founded by Korean American musician Jay Park and long time Seattle affiliate Cha Cha Malone in 2017.[1] Stationed primarily in South Korea, the label was created with the intent to "bridge the gap" between American and Korean artists, with a focus on adjacent Seattle talent.[2] Currently, the label houses over 17 artists.
History
H1ghr Music is a hip hop record label started in 2017 by Jay Park and Cha Cha Malone with the hopes of creating a more globally oriented label than Park's other Korean label, AOMG. Park created the label to show support for up and coming artists from his hometown of Seattle, Washington and South Korea through collaborations and bridge the gap between Korean and American Hip Hop artists.[2][3] The name symbolizes the artists' goal to keep growing and to get to the next level.[4] Label artist Avatar Darko was the one who suggested to replace the 'i' in Highr to a '1'.[5]
The label launched with artists already signed. Aside from the founders, these artists included Yultron; Korean rappers Sik-K and pH-1; Seattle artists Avatar Darko,[6]Raz Simone, Phe Reds, Jarv Dee. The label also began with producer roster consisting of GroovyRoom and Woogie.[7]
Sik-K joined after participating in Show Me the Money 4[8] and after he parted ways with Grandline Entertainment, his former agency. His first single, titled "Fly", was released the same year. Raz Simone dropped his full-length album, Drive Theory, after signing.[9]
Singer Golden, formerly known as G.Soul, also announced[when?] he had joined H1ghr Music after 17 years of being signed to JYP Entertainment.[15][16]
In 2019, the label signed the rapper Big Naughty after his participation in Show Me the Money 8.[17]
In late 2019, Jarv Dee parted ways with H1ghr Music.[18]
In 2020, the label released a remix version of Rain's song "Gang", which topped the Korean music charts.[19] The same year, they signed a new artist, Trade L.[20][unreliable source?]
In August 2020, the label announced a compilation album featuring all the artists on the roster with Red Tape: H1GHR version being released on September 2, followed by “Blue Tape; : H1GHR” on September 16.[21]
In March 2021, GroovyRoom announced that they are launching a new label called AREA (에어리어), in partnership with the label.[22][23]
On December 31, 2021, Jay Park announced his resignation as Co-CEO of H1ghr Music.[24] In 2022, the label announced the end of their exclusive contracts with Woogie, Sik-K, and JAY B.[25][26]
Park Ji-hoo and Han Seo-bin, male trainees under the agency, appeared on Boys Planet, their first audition program since the agency's founding. After the show ended, Han Seo-bin left the agency and joined another agency, while Park Ji-hoo transferred to WakeOne and debuted on September 18, 2023, as part of the project group Evnne with Park Han-bin, Lee Jung-hyun, and Mun Jung-hyun from WakeOne, Yoo Seung-eon and Ji Yoon-seo from Yuehua Entertainment Korea, and Keita from R.A.I.N. Company.
On August 24, 2024, it was announced that a spin-off group of I-Land 2: N/a would be launched.[27]
^JAY B(제이비)·Sik-K(식케이), 하이어뮤직과 전속계약종료[공식] [JAY B and Sik-K terminate exclusive contract with H1ghr Music [Official]]. entertain.naver.com (in Korean). July 25, 2022. Archived from the original on July 25, 2022. Retrieved July 25, 2022.
