California's gold rush is on again...  This time the underground element isn't precious metal, but undiscovered talent. Hella Records is in the thick of it, nurturing Hip-Hop at its finest.  Established in 1995, Hella Records was started by producer/dj TD Camp.  The label’s first two releases by Bored Stiff quickly became underground classics, and now sell as high priced collectors items.  In 2000 the label focused on building the Hella Records Studio and expanded its reputation as promoters for some of the Bay’s biggest events and parties.  In 2005 TD Camp rekindled the label to produce, and prepare for the release of Face to Face, a compilation sponsored by skateboard manufacturer and apparel company, FTC, featuring Snoop Dogg, Mac Dre, Hiero, San Quinn, Zion I, Goapele, Bored Stiff, Q-Bert and many more.

Now that it’s 2007, Hella Records is ready to establish itself as a major source for Bay Area talent.  In August the label released a long awaited album by Bored Stiff entitled From the Ground Up.  The authentic sound of Bored Stiff has been regarded as a breath of fresh air by Hip-Hop fans from Japan to Germany, and back to the States.  The group’s new video was featured worlwide as editors pick on Youtube.com and Cnet’s download.com, and continues to get excellent publicity and exposure.  Hella Records has also released a debut album by Co-Deez, called Royalty, as well as several collaborations with Equipto, the Luv Ones, and the internationally recognized mix CD series by TD Camp entitled Vintage Sessions.

Hella Records continues to run it’s recording studio now located in Oakland, and offers short-run CD duplication services as well.  Owning top-notch studio and duplicating equipment has given the label an opportunity to create music of the highest quality, and promote it with promo Cds at a very low cost.  The label has also helped organized several youth programs, teaching music production and artist development at the USF Upward Bound Program, the SF African Arts and Culture Complex, and the CES Bayview School of Art and Social Justice.  This connection to the youth, artists in the studio, and event promotions, has been the key to Hella Records insight on what works in the music industry.

With the connections and respect Hella Records has gained by consistently putting out quality product, it wont be long before the label finds the distribution needed to bring it to the next level.  Looking toward the future, the label will expand it’s reach throughout the international market with solid releases by Bored Stiff, Spank Pops, Co-Deez, TD Camp and more groups soon to be signed.

With genuine passion for the culture and a fresh perspective from the front lines of underground Hip-Hop, Hella Records is definitely risin' up.