{{Infobox record label | name = High Focus Records | founded = 2010 | genre = Hip-hop, old school hip hop, boom bap revival | founder = Fliptrix | image = Hf logo.png | country = United Kingdom | location = Brighton | url = {{URL|https://www.high-focus.com/home/}} }}
'''High Focus Records''' is an independent British hip-hop record label<ref>{{cite web|first1=Shanna|last1=Jones|access-date=2020-01-22|title=Is British Rap Finally Going to Have a Gay Hip Hop Scene?|url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/uk-gay-rappers/|date=7 August 2014|website=Vice}}</ref> founded by rapper Fliptrix in 2010,<ref name="redbull-stacey">{{cite web|accessdate=2020-01-22|title=The brilliant gutter poetry of High Focus|url=https://www.redbull.com/gb-en/high-focus-uk-hip-hop-videos-fliptrix|website=Red Bull}}</ref> following the collapse of Low Life Records.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.redbull.com/gb-en/fliptrix-uk-hip-hop-here-to-stay|title=Fliptrix: 5 reasons UK hip-hop is here to stay|website=Red Bull|language=en|access-date=2020-01-21}}</ref><ref name=nob>{{Cite web|url=https://nationofbillions.com/the-rise-rise-of-high-focus-records|title=The Rise & Rise Of High Focus Records|website=A Nation of Billions|access-date=2020-01-21|archive-date=2017-06-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170619110810/https://nationofbillions.com/the-rise-rise-of-high-focus-records|url-status=dead}}</ref> <ref name=":0">{{cite web |title=Fliptrix Speaks on High Focus Journey to Date, Eighth Birthday Party & New Music |url=https://ukhh.com/fliptrix-speaks-on-high-focus-journey-to-date-eighth-birthday-party-new-music/ |website=UKHH.com |accessdate=22 January 2020 |date=11 March 2018}}</ref>
== History == In 2008, Fliptrix was in the process of releasing his first album on Low Life Records the largest UK hip-hop label at the time. Unfortunately, the label collapsed later that year. As a result, Fliptrix turned to one of the only other hip-hop labels in the UK at that time, YNR. However the label's owner, Jehst, recommended he create his own label in order to get his album out as soon as possible.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://medium.com/@PhillyTea/you-manifest-your-own-destiny-so-just-go-for-it-fliptrix-interview-92bf357c0b5|title=FLIPTRIX INTERVIEW|last=phillytea13|date=2018-09-23|website=Medium|language=en|access-date=2020-01-29}}</ref> Friends of Fliptrix, such as Jam Baxter and Leaf Dog, asked if he could put their albums out too - and it was from there High Focus Records began to grow.<ref name=":0" />
==Details== Originally influenced by late 1990s and early 2000s British hip hop artists such as Jehst, Task Force and Skinnyman,<ref name=nob/> High Focus has often focused on a 1990s US 'boom bap' style hip hop sound. However, it has diversified its artist roster into alternative hip hop in recent years with Onoe Caponoe<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.bonafidemag.com/onoe-caponoe-interview/|title=Onoe Caponoe Interview|date=2015-05-25|website=Bonafide|language=en-US|access-date=2020-01-21}}</ref> Strange U and Jam Baxter<ref name="redbull-stacey"/><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thelineofbestfit.com/features/interviews/jam-baxter-on-the-rise|title=On The Rise: Jam Baxter|website=The Line of Best Fit|language=en|access-date=2020-01-22}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first1=Tish|last1=Weinstock|access-date=2020-01-22|title=which musical artists were tipped for 2015? and where are they now?|url=https://i-d.co/article/which-musical-artists-were-tipped-for-2015-and-where-are-they-now/|date=29 December 2015|website=i-D}}</ref> incorporating wider influences.
The label has released dozens of albums and projects since 2010. They have released one UK top 40 album, Ocean Wisdom's Wizville in 2018.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/search/albums/wizville/|title=wizville {{!}} full Official Chart History {{!}} Official Charts Company|website=www.officialcharts.com|language=en|access-date=2020-01-21}}</ref> However, he has since left the label to start his own venture with Warner Music.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://brithoptv.wordpress.com/2019/03/27/ocean-wisdom-signs-label-deal-with-warner-music/|title=BRITHOPTV: [News] Ocean Wisdom Signs Label Deal With Warner Music {{!}} #UKHipHop #UKHipHopNews #MusicNews|author=Mr. BritHopTV|date=2019-03-27|website=BritHopTV|language=en|access-date=2020-01-22}}</ref> As of October 2015, High Focus Records has had nearly 40 million views on its YouTube channel.<ref name="redbull-stacey"/>
In 2016, High Focus regular Verb T teamed up with comedian Doc Brown to release a song dedicated to their shared local South London football team Crystal Palace FC. The track, called "Glad All Over Again", was played at Wembley in the 2016 FA Cup Final between Crystal Palace and Manchester United.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2016/may/19/crystal-palace-glad-all-over-again-fa-cup-final-musical-tradition-manchester-united|title=Crystal Palace’s Glad All Over Again to revive FA Cup final musical tradition|last=Aarons|first=Ed|date=2016-05-19|work=The Guardian|access-date=2020-01-21|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077}}</ref>
Verb T and producer Pitch 92 (who have two albums out together on High Focus) also recorded the theme tune for the Sky One television series The Reluctant Landlord.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.chortle.co.uk/interviews/2018/10/21/41494/for_the_record,_she_didn%E2%80%99t_actually_black_up...|title='For the record, she didn’t actually black up...' : Interviews 2018 : Chortle : The UK Comedy Guide|website=www.chortle.co.uk|language=en|access-date=2020-01-22}}</ref> Show creator and comedian Romesh Ranganathan has featured High Focus members The Four Owls, Dirty Dike and former label star Ocean Wisdom on his hip hop themed podcast, ''Hip Hop Saved My Life.''<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.mixcloud.com/hiphopsavedmylife/episode-23-the-four-owls/?play=fb|title=Episode 23: The Four Owls|work=Hip Hop Saved My Life|via=Mixcloud|access-date=2020-01-22}}</ref>
High Focus artists have also been frequent collaborators with Rag'n'Bone Man,<ref>{{cite web|first1=Ryan|last1=Bassil|access-date=2020-01-22|title=An Interview with Someone Who Actually Likes Rag’n’Bone Man|url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/interview-my-grandma-actually-likes-rag-n-bone-man/|date=6 March 2017|website=Vice}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first1=James|last1=Hutchins|accessdate=2020-01-22|title=rag'n'bone man has got soul tattooed on his hands and cemented in his heart|url=https://i-d.vice.com/en_uk/article/kz87a3/ragnbone-man-has-got-soul-tattooed-on-his-hands-and-cemented-in-his-heart|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180313154740/https://i-d.vice.com/en_uk/article/kz87a3/ragnbone-man-has-got-soul-tattooed-on-his-hands-and-cemented-in-his-heart|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 13, 2018|date=18 February 2015|website=i-D}}</ref> who released two EPs on the label between 2011 and 2014.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.high-focus.com/home/artists/rag-n-bone-man/|title=Rag'n'Bone Man|website=Official Website of High Focus Records|language=en-US|access-date=2020-01-21}}</ref>
== Artists== === Current and former acts === {{div col}} * Brothers of the Stone *BVA *CMPND *Contact Play *Coops *Cracker Jon & 2Late *Dabbla *Datkid *Dead Players *Dirty Dike *DJ Sammy B-Side *Ed Scissor *Fliptrix *The Four Owls<ref name="redbull-stacey" /> *Jam Baxter *Leaf Dog *Mr Key *Mr Slipz *Onoe Caponoe *Ocean Wisdom *Rag'n'Bone Man *Ramson Badbonez *Ronnie Bosh *Strange U *TrueMendous *Verb T<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.high-focus.com/home/artists/|title=Artists|website=Official Website of High Focus Records|language=en-US|access-date=2020-01-29}}</ref> {{div col end}}
*Verbz *Vitamin G
=== Associated producers === {{div col}} *Chemo * Leaf Dog * Illinformed * DJ Sammy B-Side * Talos * Pitch 92 * Dirty Dike * Pete Cannon * Joe Corfield * Molotov * DJ Madnice * Ghosttown * Runone * Alecs DeLarge {{div col end}}
== References == {{Reflist}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:British independent record labels Category:Hip-hop record labels Category:British hip-hop record labels