EMPIRE

EMPIRE is an independent American record label, distribution, and publishing company founded in 2010 by Ghazi Shami. Operating under the corporate name Empire Distribution, Records and Publishing Inc., the company combines label services with distribution and publishing, positioning it as a multi-function music business rather than a label focused on a single imprint role.

Based in San Francisco, EMPIRE has expanded its footprint beyond its home city with offices in New York, London, Lagos, and Johannesburg. It also maintains recording studios in San Francisco and New York, reflecting an infrastructure that supports both the business and creative sides of music production. The company’s geographic spread, spanning North America, Europe, and Africa, indicates an organization set up to work across multiple markets while remaining anchored in the United States.

EMPIRE’s roster activity on the platform reflects a broad contemporary focus, with artists such as Mozzy, Pouya, Rio Da Yung Og, Tm88, Ümi, Acidgvrl, xôx, and iilith appearing among the label’s associated releases. These names point to an orientation toward modern rap and adjacent styles, alongside artists working in other current, internet-driven lanes of popular music. Rather than presenting a tightly bounded genre identity, EMPIRE’s artist associations suggest a company structured to support varied sounds and scenes under a single independent umbrella.

Through its combined roles as label, distributor, and publisher, EMPIRE functions as a full-service independent music company with an international office network and dedicated studio facilities. Its founding by Ghazi Shami in 2010 and its base in San Francisco remain the central reference points in its public description.