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Priority Records is an American distribution company and record label known for artists including N.W.A, Ice Cube, MC Ren, Dr. Dre, Master P, Snoop Dogg, Yasiin Bey, Silkk the Shocker, Jay-Z, Paris, Mack 10, 504 Boyz, Brotha Lynch Hung, C-Murder, Mia X, Westside Connection, and Ice-T. It also distributed hip-hop record labels including Death Row Records, Hoo-Bangin' Records, No Limit Records, Posthuman Records, Rap-A-Lot Records, Rawkus Records, Roc-A-Fella Records, Ruthless Records Duck Down Records, and Wu-Tang Records. According to Billboard, "few record labels were as important to the rise of West Coast hip-hop as Priority Records".
Its first success came with novelty act the California Raisins. To support early operations, Priority Records licensed repertoire from others and released compilation albums using archive recordings while developing its own artist roster. Priority Records achieved success as an independent label by developing a precedent-setting "street-based" formula of underground marketing which bypassed mainstream radio. This approach allowed Priority to sell millions of records without entering into the fiercely competitive major label battles over radio airplay. Priority's strategic marketing team was developed by Vice President Alyssa Pisano, who led Priority's Marketing and Creative Services Department between 1987 and 1996. Priority's roster featured numerous gold, platinum and multi-platinum artists, including N.W.A, Ice Cube, MC Ren, Eazy-E, Master P, Snoop Dogg, Silkk the Shocker, Jay-Z, Paris, Mack 10, 504 Boyz, Brotha Lynch Hung C-Murder, Mia X, Westside Connection, No Limit and Ice-T.
Priority distributed rapper Jay-Z's debut album, Reasonable Doubt, in June 1996 with Jay-Z's company Roc-A-Fella Records. The album was a critical success, but a minor success upon release, selling 43,000 copies in its first week and 420,000 copies altogether. It was ultimately certified Platinum by the RIAA. Reasonable Doubt was Roc-A-Fella and Jay-Z's only album with Priority Records.
In 1997, Priority released the I'm Bout It soundtrack by No Limit Records. The album was a critical and commercial success, debuting and peaking in the top 5 on the Billboard 200. It sold 300,000 copies in its first week and was certified platinum by the RIAA. It featured the hit single Pushin' Inside You by Priority/No Limit act Sons of Funk.
In June 1998, Priority and No Limit released Master P's seventh studio album, MP Da Last Don. Promoted as Master P's final album and heavily anticipated, it sold over 495,000 copies in its first week, debuting atop the Billboard 200. The album featured guest appearances from Priority/No Limit artists Snoop Dogg, Sons of Funk, and Silkk the Shocker. MP Da Last Don went on to sell over 4.5 million copies in America, being certified quadruple platinum by the RIAA. That October, Priority released Mack 10's third studio album, The Recipe. A top 15 charting album on the U.S. Billboard 200, the album went on to be certified Gold by the RIAA. The Recipe featured guest appearances from Priority artists Master P and Snoop Dogg.
In January 1999, Priority and No Limit released Silkk the Shocker's album, Made Man, which debuted and peaked at No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard 200. The album was certified Platinum by the RIAA.
Despite EMI's full ownership, Priority continued to be an independently managed company until 2001, when its operations were merged into EMI's major U.S. subsidiary, Capitol Records. Priority was absorbed into Capitol Records in 2004 and ceased operations.
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