Do the Math: A History of the Aftermath Roster

Kendrick Lamar is joining one of rap's most storied labels.

"The Recipe" (featuring Dr. Dre) - The first bonus track, previously released single "The Recipe," is a sign of what many expected this album to be: There's a Dre verse (again clearly penned by Kendrick) and an accessible, G-funk-influenced beat. It bangs—the filtered-out Twin Sister sample is hypnotizing—but it wouldn'tve fit the album's concept or story arc. It's a bonus track for a reason.  (Photos from left: Johnny Nunez/WireImage,Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

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Do the Math: A History of the Aftermath Roster - No one's going to be blowing Kendrick Lamar's high anytime soon. The Compton rapper and his Black Hippy crew, which also includes Jay Rock, Schoolboy Q and Ab-Soul, just dotted the line with Dr. Dre's Aftermath Entertainment. The deal will see Kendrick's major-label debut, Good Kid in a Mad City, drop via a joint venture between Top Dawg Entertainment, which released his acclaimed Section.80 last summer, Dre's Aftermath and Interscope Records. With the signing, Kendrick is joining one of hip hop's most storied labels, with a long track record of releasing landmark music and signing big stars—though sometimes with mixed results. Click on to see a history of Dr. Dre's Aftermath Entertainment and it's power-packed, ever-changing roster. (Photos from left: Johnny Nunez/WireImage,Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

"Rap God" - Eminem sends a warning shot to anyone that thinks he's fallen off with this lyrical act of terror. "Only realized it was ironic I was signed to Aftermath after the fact / How could I not blow, all I do is drop F-bombs, feel my wrath of attack / Rappers are having a rough time period, here's a maxi pad / It's actually disastrously bad for the wack," he raps. (Photo: REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson /Landov)

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Eminem - Aftermath's premier artist without a doubt is Eminem. After Dre split from Death Row and formed the label, he released the underwhelming 1996 compilation Dr. Dre Presents the Aftermath, consisting mainly of songs by never-was rappers and singers. Dre resurrected his imprint—and his career—by signing Slim in 1998 and releasing his triple-platinum debut, The Slim Shady LP. Em has gone on to become the most successful rapper of all time. How's that for a comeback?(Photo: REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson /Landov)

PASADENA, CA - AUGUST 14: Singer Marsha Ambrosius performs at the 33rd Annual UNCF An Evening Of Stars on August 14, 2011 in Pasadena, California. (Photo: Phil McCarten / PictureGroup)

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Marsha Ambrosius - After she split from Floetry, singer Marsha Ambrosius launched her solo career through a deal with Aftermath in 2005. She appeared on various Aftermath artists' projects, including Game and Busta, and contributed to Dre's long-delayed Detox. In 2009, she parted ways with Dre and landed at J Records, where she released her solo debut last year. (Photo: Valerie Macon/Getty Images)

"Heat It Up" - The G.O.D. MC simply tears s--t up on this plodding cut off the soundtrack for the film Gunmen.  (Photo: Terrence Jennings/PictureGroup)

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Rakim - Rakim, undoubtedly one of the greatest MCs of all time, had the hip hop world abuzz when he signed with Aftermath back in 2000. He appeared on "Addictive," the 2002 hit from Aftermath singer Truth Hurts, but never dropped an album under Dre, bouncing from the label a year later due to creative differences.  (Photo: Terrence Jennings/PictureGroup)

Busta Rhymes - After turning in perhaps the best guest verse ever on A Tribe Called Quest's "Scenario," Busta Rhymes and his singular talents needed room to breathe. He split from his old crew, Leaders of the New School, and released his solo debut, The Coming, in 1996.    (Photo: Joe Kohen/Getty Images)

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Busta Rhymes - Busta inked with Aftermath in 2004, and two years later he released his first No. 1 album, The Big Bang, which featured several Dre-produced tracks. Bus bounced from Aftermath in 2008, reportedly due to differences with Interscope head Jimmy Iovine. (Photo: Joe Kohen/Getty Images)

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50 Cent - Underneath 50 Cent’s hard exterior is a man who has a great appreciation for a love for soul music throughout his career, counting Stevie Wonder. Fif has flipped a couple of Stevie songs, including "That Girl," and "Love's In Need of Love Today" and turned them into his own thug love jams.(Photo: Brad Barket/PictureGroup)

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50 Cent - Dre pulled off another coup when he signed 50 Cent, who'd lit the streets on fire with a series of classic mixtapes, though a joint venture with Eminem's Shady imprint and Interscope in 2002. 50 became one of the best-selling artists of any genre in the 2000s, though Dre has seemingly had less and less creative involvement in 50's projects as their partnership ages.    (Photo: Brad Barket/PictureGroup)

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Hot Girl - Actress-recording artist Eve shows off her long legs at her first performance in a long while at Oster Media Presents Leila Shams After-Party at the Westway in New York City. (Photo: Rabbani and Solimene Photography/Getty Images)

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Eve - Eve started off in the late '90s as one of Aftermath's first artists, but didn't take off until she linked with Ruff Ryders for her 1999 debut, Let There Be Eve...Ruff Ryders' First Lady. After three albums, she returned to Aftermath in 2003, but went into musical limbo soon after. Though she stayed in the public eye with a self-titled UPN sitcom and guest verses, her fourth album, Here I Am, hit multiple delays and never dropped. Eve's since left Aftermath for Geffen in hopes of resurrecting her career. (Photo: Rabbani and Solimene Photography/Getty Images)

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Joell Ortiz - Before he joined up with Shady Records and supergroup Slaughterhouse, Brooklyn spitter Joell Ortiz was signed to Aftermath, though he never released an official album with the label. (Photo: Walik Goshorn / Retna Ltd)

RBX - RBX's animated verses on "The Day the N---az Took Over," "Lyrical Gangbang," "Stranded on Death Row," "The Roach" and, most notably, "High-Powered" ("I drop bombs like Hiroshima" is still one of the most quoted lines on The Chronic) provided some of the album's dramatic moments. He also ghost-wrote some of Dre's verses, including "Let Me Ride." RBX's career was stalled by beef with Death Row — he publicly accused Dre and Suge of shady business — and his 1995 debut The RBX Files flopped. But he's kept writing and recording through the years, appearing on "Remember Me" from Eminem's The Marshall Mathers LP in 2000. His last album was 2011's X3: Calm Before the Storm.  (Photo: Jean-Paul Aussenard/WireImage)

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RBX - Eccentric Long Beach rapper RBX was first signed to Death Row Records, and made some memorable cameos on Dre's The Chronic  and Snoop's Doggy Styles. In 1996, he followed Dre to his new imprint, and appeared on the Aftermath compilation. He left the label soon after, and has put out albums on various indie since then. (Photo: Jean-Paul Aussenard/WireImage)

Truth Hurts - Singer Truth Hurts signed with Aftermath in 2000, and contributed background vocals to several Dre productions before releasing her 2002 Top 10 debut single, "Addictive," featuring a guest verse from Rakim and production from Dre and DJ Quik. The song boosted her album Truthfully Speaking to a No. 5 bow on Billboard, but she faded to obscurity soon after, leaving Aftermath around 2004.(Photo: Courtesy Pookie Entertainment)

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Truth Hurts - Singer Truth Hurts signed with Aftermath in 2000, and contributed background vocals to several Dre productions before releasing her 2002 Top 10 debut single, "Addictive," featuring a guest verse from Rakim and production from Dre and DJ Quik. The song boosted her album Truthfully Speaking to a No. 5 bow on Billboard, but she faded to obscurity soon after, leaving Aftermath around 2004.(Photo: Courtesy Pookie Entertainment)

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King Tee - L.A. pioneer King Tee was one of Aftermath's first artists, appearing on both its 1996 compilation and Dre's second album, 1999. He recorded his fifth album, Kingdom Come, with the label in 1998, but it didn't come out until 2002, at which point he'd already left Aftermath for greener indie pastures. (Photo: Courtesy Boss UP Entertainment)

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King Tee - L.A. pioneer King Tee was one of Aftermath's first artists, appearing on both its 1996 compilation and Dre's second album, 1999. He recorded his fifth album, Kingdom Come, with the label in 1998, but it didn't come out until 2002, at which point he'd already left Aftermath for greener indie pastures. (Photo: Courtesy Boss UP Entertainment)

Slim the Mobster - L.A. rapper Slim the Mobster is Dr. Dre's newest protégé, and is reportedly making major contributions to Detox, which aims to do for Slim what The Chronic did for Snoop—if it ever comes out. (Photo: Courtesy Aftermath Records)

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Slim the Mobster - L.A. rapper Slim the Mobster is Dr. Dre's newest protégé, and is reportedly making major contributions to Detox, which aims to do for Slim what The Chronic did for Snoop—if it ever comes out. (Photo: Courtesy Aftermath Records)

The Firm - The Firm, the high-powered alliance of Nas, Foxy Brown, AZ and Nature with Dre on beats, were one of Aftermath's first groups, releasing their only LP, 1997's The Firm, before disbanding a year later. (Photo: Courtesy Interscope Records)

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The Firm - The Firm, the high-powered alliance of Nas, Foxy Brown, AZ and Nature with Dre on beats, were one of Aftermath's first groups, releasing their only LP, 1997's The Firm, before disbanding a year later. (Photo: Courtesy Interscope Records)