Is Lyrical Lemonade a Record Label? Everything You Need to Know
Lyrical Lemonade is not primarily a record label - it's a multimedia company and creative agency founded by Cole Bennett in 2013. While it collaborates extensively with artists and has significant influence in the music industry, its core business model differs from traditional record labels.
I want to clarify exactly what Lyrical Lemonade does. The company started as a blog where Bennett posted music reviews and interviews, but quickly evolved into a powerful force in hip-hop through its distinctive music videos and marketing campaigns. Today, it operates as:
• A music video production company • A creative marketing agency • An events organization • A merchandise brand • A content creation platform
However, in 2023, Lyrical Lemonade did take a step toward becoming more involved in music distribution by partnering with Universal Music Group. This partnership allows them to release music under the Lyrical Lemonade banner, but this is different from operating as a traditional record label.
The key distinction is that Lyrical Lemonade doesn't typically sign artists to long-term recording contracts or manage their entire careers like traditional record labels do. Instead, they focus on creating high-quality visual content and building marketing campaigns around specific releases or projects.
The company's influence in the music industry comes primarily from Cole Bennett's innovative music video direction and his ability to spotlight emerging artists through the Lyrical Lemonade platform. Many artists who have worked with Lyrical Lemonade, such as Juice WRLD, Ski Mask The Slump God, and Lil Pump, went on to achieve mainstream success, but they were signed to other record labels.
For those interested in working with Lyrical Lemonade, it's important to understand that they function more as a creative partner than a traditional record label. Their services typically focus on video production, marketing, and brand development rather than artist development and music distribution.
In conclusion, while Lyrical Lemonade has recently expanded into music distribution through its UMG partnership, it remains primarily a multimedia company rather than a traditional record label. Its impact on the music industry comes from its innovative approach to content creation and marketing rather than traditional label services.
