Relativity Records

Relativity Records was an American record label founded by Barry Kobrin at the site of his vinyl record shop, Important Record Distributors (IRD) in metropolitan New York City. The IRD distribution name was later known as RED Distribution and again as RED Music. Relativity released music that covered a wide variety of musical genres. When it entered into a deal with Sony Music Entertainment, it became more known for its heavy metal and hip hop releases. In 1999, Relativity was folded into Steve Rifkind's Loud Records, which in turn was shut down by Sony Music in 2002, with its parent distributor, RED Distribution, maintaining its existence, but later as RED Music, being merged into the Orchard in 2017 by Sony. Although it was reportedly established in 1985, there is evidence that the Relativity Records imprint began around the spring of 1982 as an in-house label of founder Barry Korbin's Important Record Distributors. In the 1980s, Relativity Records was mostly focused on rock music, including heavy metal and punk rock. Releases in this genre were split among Relativity and its sister labels Combat and In-Effect Records. Following the recession of 1990, these labels were folded back into the main Relativity label. Later that year, Relativity signed Chris Lighty's Violator Records in a distribution deal with Chi-Ali, Fat Joe and the Beatnuts as part of the signees.