Major Players: Rappers Who Went from Indies to Majors

Plenty of artists have made the jump, is Mac Miller next?

Major Players: Rappers Who Went from Indies to Majors - Yesterday (Jan. 14), Mac Miller announced that he was leaving Rostrum Records. The announcement came after the number of years that the Pittsburgh native and his local label were aligned, launching the career of the now 21-year-old. According to the report, Mac let the contract run out, deciding not to sign again. Though there is not yet info on his next move, if he decides to sign with a major, he wouldn't be the first rapper who started his career with an indie before making the switch. Check out some of the plays made — some successful, some not so much — by rappers who've released both independently and via the big leagues.Photo: Gary Gershoff/Getty Images)

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Major Players: Rappers Who Went from Indies to Majors - Yesterday (Jan. 14), Mac Miller announced that he was leaving Rostrum Records. The announcement came after the number of years that the Pittsburgh native and his local label were aligned, launching the career of the now 21-year-old. According to the report, Mac let the contract run out, deciding not to sign again. Though there is not yet info on his next move, if he decides to sign with a major, he wouldn't be the first rapper who started his career with an indie before making the switch. Check out some of the plays made — some successful, some not so much — by rappers who've released both independently and via the big leagues.Photo: Gary Gershoff/Getty Images)

Wiz Khalifa - Wiz Khalifa might have scored the most-played club banger with "We Dem Boyz." The knocker will provide stiff competition in the Best Club Banger category.(Photo: Theo Wargo/Getty Images)

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Wiz Khalifa (Rostrum Records to Atlantic Records) - To some, Wiz Khalifa was an overnight success thanks to his monstrous No. 1 single “Black and Yellow.” And while, yes, that did launch him into a new musical stratosphere, the Pittsburgh rapper didn’t come out of nowhere. Before inking with Atlantic in 2010, the tattooed rapper put out two independent albums, as well as a slew of mixtapes, through hometown label Rostrum Records. He remains signed to both Rostrum and Atlantic. (Photo: Theo Wargo/Getty Images)

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Sweet 16: Best Featured Verse - Kendrick Lamar – "Problems" (A$AP Rocky f/ Drake, 2 Chainz and Kendrick Lamar) - Even when he's clocking a feature, Kendrick Lamar doesn't take a backseat to anybody. K. Dot's finale verse on A$AP Rocky's "Problems" boasts quick-witted quotables and cocky quips. (Photo: Ilya S. Savenok/Getty Images)

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Kendrick Lamar (Top Dawg Ent. to Interscope) - Many have deemed Kendrick Lamar’s good kid, m.A.A.d. city a classic debut album, and it’s hard to argue with that. The best argument against it, probably, isn’t that it isn't a classic, but that it wasn’t a debut. Before aligning with Interscope, K. Dot released a number of projects through Top Dawg Entertainment, including the retail release Section .80, in 2011. As he proved with gkmc, Kendrick didn’t have to compromise his artistry by going major. (Photo: Ilya S. Savenok/Getty Images)

Little Brother - The name of the North Carolina trio of Phonte, Big Pooh and 9th Wonder — Little Brother — is an homage to their feeling a musical kinship to certain groups that came before them. De La Soul certainly falls into this influential category. (Photo: Ray Tamarra/Getty Images) 

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Little Brother (ABB Records to Atlantic Records) - The North Carolina trio Little Brother went from relative unknowns to darlings of the underground with their 2003 debut album The Listening, released on ABB Records. Their movement caught the ear of not only fans, but also labels, and they inked with Atlantic to release their 2005 album The Minstrel Show. Though the album was a critical success, it didn't meet commercial expectations, moving just 18,000 units in the first week. In early 2007, they and the label split, and the group put out two more albums before disbanding in 2010. (Photo: Ray Tamarra/Getty Images) 

Murs (Definitive Jux to Warner Bros.) - For years, Murs has been a crown jewel of the underground and independent hip-hop. But he did have a brief moment of living the major label life. After years of making a name for himself with indie releases on indies like Definitive Jux and Record Collection, the California native switched things up with 2008’s Murs for President, which was released on Warner Bros. It would be his only album on the label. (Photo: Michael Buckner/Getty Images)

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Murs (Definitive Jux to Warner Bros.) - For years, Murs has been a crown jewel of the underground and independent hip-hop. But he did have a brief moment of living the major label life. After years of making a name for himself with indie releases on indies like Definitive Jux and Record Collection, the California native switched things up with 2008’s Murs for President, which was released on Warner Bros. It would be his only album on the label. (Photo: Michael Buckner/Getty Images)

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Talib Kweli (Rawkus Records to Warner Bros.) - After linking with Mos Def to release Black Star through Rawkus Records in 1998, Talib Kweli went on to have his own solo career. He started off with Rawkus, where he released Train of Thought, Quality and The Beautiful Struggle, before signing on with Warner Bros. for 2007's Eardrum. Though it would be his only album on the label, his 2013 Prisoner of Consciousness was released through Capitol/EMI. (Photo: Mike Lawrie/Getty Images)

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Talib Kweli (Rawkus Records to Warner Bros.) - After linking with Mos Def to release Black Star through Rawkus Records in 1998, Talib Kweli went on to have his own solo career. He started off with Rawkus, where he released Train of Thought, Quality and The Beautiful Struggle, before signing on with Warner Bros. for 2007's Eardrum. Though it would be his only album on the label, his 2013 Prisoner of Consciousness was released through Capitol/EMI. (Photo: Mike Lawrie/Getty Images)

Too $hort (75 Girls to Jive) - After releasing his first three projects in the mid-1980s on the indie 75 Girls, Bay Area rapper Too $hort began putting out albums through Jive. Over the next two decades, he would release more than a dozen albums with the label — many of them reaching platinum or gold status. Most recently, he’s been releasing his albums through Dangerous Music, which is a label that he owns. (Photo: than Miller/Getty Images)

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Too $hort (75 Girls to Jive) - After releasing his first three projects in the mid-1980s on the indie 75 Girls, Bay Area rapper Too $hort began putting out albums through Jive. Over the next two decades, he would release more than a dozen albums with the label — many of them reaching platinum or gold status. Most recently, he’s been releasing his albums through Dangerous Music, which is a label that he owns. (Photo: than Miller/Getty Images)

Brother Ali (Rhymesayers Entertainment to Warner Bros.) - It made sense when Brother Ali teamed with Rhymesayers Entertainment early in his career. He, like the label, is based in the Midwest; plus, there was something to his sound that felt quintessentially Rhymesayers-esque. That didn't stop him — nor should it have — from signing with Warner Bros. in the mid-2000s, through which he has released his last three albums in tandem with Rhymesayers. He experienced more commercial success on the major than he did when he was solely indie, while still managing to put out a product that satisfied his core. (Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

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Brother Ali (Rhymesayers Entertainment to Warner Bros.) - It made sense when Brother Ali teamed with Rhymesayers Entertainment early in his career. He, like the label, is based in the Midwest; plus, there was something to his sound that felt quintessentially Rhymesayers-esque. That didn't stop him — nor should it have — from signing with Warner Bros. in the mid-2000s, through which he has released his last three albums in tandem with Rhymesayers. He experienced more commercial success on the major than he did when he was solely indie, while still managing to put out a product that satisfied his core. (Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

Kid Ink (Tha Alumni Music Group to RCA Records) - After building his base through online buzz and touring, Kid Ink released his indie debut, Up & Away, in 2012 through Tha Alumni Music Group. Just a few months later, he announced that he had signed with RCA, where he’d be putting out his major label debut. Following an EP in 2013, he did just that last week when he dropped My Own Lane. Though the official numbers aren’t in yet, estimates say that it should debut at No. 3 on the Billboard 200. (Photo: John Ricard/Getty Images for BET)

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Kid Ink (Tha Alumni Music Group to RCA Records) - After building his base through online buzz and touring, Kid Ink released his indie debut, Up & Away, in 2012 through Tha Alumni Music Group. Just a few months later, he announced that he had signed with RCA, where he’d be putting out his major label debut. Following an EP in 2013, he did just that last week when he dropped My Own Lane. Though the official numbers aren’t in yet, estimates say that it should debut at No. 3 on the Billboard 200. (Photo: John Ricard/Getty Images for BET)

E-40 (Sick Wid It Records to Jive) - For decades, E-40 has been a king of the independent grind. Granted, the great majority of that time has been spent on a major label, but he’s been doing it for years with an indie mindset. After releasing his debut solo album, Federal, through his own Sick Wid It Records in 1995, 40 Water got called up to the majors and dropped In A Major Way through Jive. He’s continued dropping albums through them, and later EMI, in the years since. (Photo: John Ricard / BET)

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E-40 (Sick Wid It Records to Jive) - For decades, E-40 has been a king of the independent grind. Granted, the great majority of that time has been spent on a major label, but he’s been doing it for years with an indie mindset. After releasing his debut solo album, Federal, through his own Sick Wid It Records in 1995, 40 Water got called up to the majors and dropped In A Major Way through Jive. He’s continued dropping albums through them, and later EMI, in the years since. (Photo: John Ricard / BET)

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Master P (No Limit Records to Priority) - Master P turned an indie into a major. Kickstarting his career by releasing his and others’ albums through his own No Limit Records out of his car, the New Orleans native eventually partnered with Priority to release his own and his label’s albums. The results were chart-topping.(Photo: Frank Micelotta/ImageDirect)

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Master P (No Limit Records to Priority) - Master P turned an indie into a major. Kickstarting his career by releasing his and others’ albums through his own No Limit Records out of his car, the New Orleans native eventually partnered with Priority to release his own and his label’s albums. The results were chart-topping.(Photo: Frank Micelotta/ImageDirect)

Gucci Mane (Big Cat to Warner Bros.) - Gucci Mane enjoyed early career success on the independent level with his work with local Atlanta indie Tommy Boy, including the single "Icy." In the later part of the 2000s, he signed with Warner Bros., where he dropped a few albums, including The State vs. Radric Davis, which hit No. 1 on Billboard's Rap Albums chart. (Photo: Ben Rose/PictureGroup)

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Gucci Mane (Big Cat to Warner Bros.) - Gucci Mane enjoyed early career success on the independent level with his work with local Atlanta indie Tommy Boy, including the single "Icy." In the later part of the 2000s, he signed with Warner Bros., where he dropped a few albums, including The State vs. Radric Davis, which hit No. 1 on Billboard's Rap Albums chart. (Photo: Ben Rose/PictureGroup)

Slim Thug (Swishahouse to Interscope) - After beginning his career with his hometown Houston-based label Swishahouse, Slim Thug made the switch to Star Trak/Geffen/Interscope for his debut, Already Platinum. The album included production from The Neptunes and singles like "3 Kings" and "Like a Boss." Following the album, he made the switch to E1. (Photo: Brad Barket/PictureGroup)

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Slim Thug (Swishahouse to Interscope) - After beginning his career with his hometown Houston-based label Swishahouse, Slim Thug made the switch to Star Trak/Geffen/Interscope for his debut, Already Platinum. The album included production from The Neptunes and singles like "3 Kings" and "Like a Boss." Following the album, he made the switch to E1. (Photo: Brad Barket/PictureGroup)