Jay-Z founded Roc-A-Fella Records with Damon Dash and Kareem “Biggs” Burke.
The three partners established the label in 1995 after Jay-Z struggled to secure a major-label deal for his music. Roc-A-Fella initially operated as an independent imprint before entering a distribution partnership with Priority Records and later becoming associated with Def Jam Recordings.
Jay-Z’s debut album, Reasonable Doubt, was released in 1996 through Roc-A-Fella and helped establish the label’s identity. The company later expanded beyond Jay-Z’s records, signing artists including Beanie Sigel, Freeway, and Kanye West.
Roc-A-Fella is often confused with Roc Nation, the entertainment company Jay-Z founded in 2008. Roc-A-Fella was the earlier record label created with Dash and Burke, while Roc Nation developed as a broader management, publishing, and entertainment business.