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<p><b>Top Dawg Entertainment</b> is an American <a href="/pages/w/107542465941843">independent record label</a> founded in 2004, by CEO Anthony "Top Dawg" Tiffith. Dave Free and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Punch_" class="wikipedia">Punch</a> are both presidents of the TDE. There are currently eight artists signed to the label: <a href="/pages/w/598392906883723">Isaiah Rashad</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SZA_" class="wikipedia">SZA</a>, <a href="/pages/w/1546637992307526">Lance Skiiiwalker</a>, and SiR, as well as the flagship artists, <a href="/pages/w/364427913601791">Black Hippy</a> members <a href="/pages/w/104439269630551">Kendrick Lamar</a>, <a href="/pages/w/108044575883601">Jay Rock</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ScHoolboy_Q" class="wikipedia">ScHoolboy Q</a> and <a href="/pages/w/433474543361043">Ab-Soul</a>. The label also houses a production division that includes <a href="/pages/w/338672466267683">Digi+Phonics</a>, THC, King Blue and Derek "<a href="/pages/w/449922705184163">MixedByAli</a>" Ali.</p><h2>History</h2><h3>1997–2009</h3><p>In 1997, Anthony Tiffith began as a <a href="/pages/w/107708272585132">record producer</a>, who had produced for <a href="/pages/w/111975848828402">rappers</a> such as <a href="/pages/w/111886738827487">The Game</a> and <a href="/pages/w/112613678754491">Juvenile</a>, among others. In 2003, Tiffith found a then 15-year-old <a href="/pages/w/104439269630551">Kendrick Lamar</a>, a <a href="/pages/w/108051695889877">Compton</a> native, who at the time went by K-Dot and had just released his first <a href="/pages/w/106048006093336">mixtape</a>, which gained recognition and earned the young rapper a buzz in his local area. Tiffith saw so much potential in Lamar, he signed him off the strength of his first mixtape. It wasn't until 2005 that TDE started to gain success with another California-based rapper, <a href="/pages/w/108044575883601">Jay Rock</a>. Following Rock's signing, TDE signed <a href="/pages/w/112604718752350">joint venture</a> deals with <a href="/pages/w/109850739034717">Warner Bros.</a> and later <a href="/pages/w/109310352428349">Asylum Records</a>. However, following the merger, TDE began planning an exit strategy after the labels failed to handle Rock's debut <i><a href="/pages/w/108659969165419">Follow Me Home</a></i> properly.</p>