Kawan Kawmi "KP" Prather (born March 30, 1973)[1] is an American record executive. He began his career as a DJ for the Atlanta-based hip hop group Parental Advisory (P.A.) in 1991, which were part of the larger collective Dungeon Family. The group was discovered by Pebbles and L.A. Reid, and were the first act from the collective to sign a major label deal with LaFace Records in the late 1990s,[2] through which Prather launched the imprint label Ghet-O-Vision Entertainment. During this time, he worked in executive or A&R positions on albums for LaFace labelmates including TLC, OutKast, Goodie Mob, Usher, Pink, and Toni Braxton.
Kawan Prather | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Kawan Kawmi Prather |
| Also known as | KP |
| Born | March 30, 1973 |
| Origin | Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 1991-present |
| Labels |
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| Formerly of | |
Prather's Ghet-O-Vision is credited with having signed Atlanta-based hip hop acts YoungBloodZ and T.I. through LaFace Records by 1999, as well as Tennessee-based rapper Yelawolf through Interscope Records in 2008. Prather's label released both of the former acts' respective debut albums: Against da Grain (1999) and I'm Serious (2001). He served as Vice President of A&R at Arista Records from 1999 to 2001, and held a similar post for Columbia Records from 2002 to 2005. He was then appointed Senior Vice President of A&R at Island Def Jam from 2012 to 2015, during which he signed 15-year-old R&B singer Khalil. In 2015, he was named Head of Music at Pharrell Williams' creative umbrella I Am Other.[3][4]
Biography
editIn 2000, LaFace was merged into Arista Records. After working on projects with Usher, Pink, and OutKast, he took a position as Executive Vice President, A&R, Sony Urban, Columbia Records. While at Columbia Records, KP worked with Omarion, Killer Mike, Destiny's Child, Beyoncé, and signed John Legend.[5]
In 2008, KP teamed up with producer Malay and have a roster of artists and projects they are planning for release in the near future.[6]
Discography
edit| Album | Artist | Year | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Un-Break My Heart [CD #2] | Toni Braxton | 1996 | A&R |
| ATLiens | OutKast | 1996 | A&R |
| And Then There Was Bass: Dis Bass Game Real | Various Artists | 1997 | Executive Producer |
| Nice & Slow | Usher | 1998 | A&R |
| Against Da Grain [Clean Version] | YoungBloodZ | 1999 | Executive Producer |
| Against Da Grain [Dirty Version] | YoungBloodZ | 1999 | Executive Producer |
| World Party [Clean Version] | Goodie Mob | 1999 | Artist Direction |
| Usher (Live) | Usher | 1999 | Producer |
| FanMail [Japan] | TLC | 1999 | A&R |
| Unpretty, Pt. 2 [Australia CD Single] | TLC | 1999 | A&R |
| Shaft [2000 Original Soundtrack] | Soundtrack | 2000 | Producer |
| South Will Rise Again [US] | Various Artists | 2000 | Producer |
| Can't Take Me Home | Pink | 2000 | A&R |
| Stankonia | OutKast | 2000 | A&R |
| I'm Serious | T.I. | 2001 | Producer |
| Even In Darkness | Dungeon Family | 2001 | A&R |
| So Fresh, So Clean | OutKast | 2001 | A&R |
| 8701 | Usher | 2001 | Associate Producer |
| U Don't Have to Call | Usher | 2002 | A&R |
| Missundaztood | Pink | 2002 | A&R |
| 8701 (Australian Bonus Tracks) | Usher | 2002 | Associate Producer, A&R |
| Don't Let Me Get Me [Australia CD] | Pink | 2002 | A&R |
| U Don't Have to Call (Australian Single) | Usher | 2002 | Associate Producer, A&R |
| Family Portrait | Pink | 2002 | A&R |
| Monster | Killer Mike | 2003 | A&R |
| 8701 (Bonus Videos) | Usher | 2003 | Associate Producer, A&R |
| Get Lifted | John Legend | 2004 | A&R |
| Wylde Tymes At Washington High | The Wylde Bunch | 2004 | Scratching, Executive Producer, A&R |
| Got Purp?, Vol. 2 | Big Boi | 2005 | A&R |
| Wanted Reloaded (DualDisc) | Bow Wow | 2005 | A&R |
| 8701 (Dual Disc) | Usher | 2005 | A&R |
| The One | Frankie J | 2005 | A&R |
| Wanted | Bow Wow | 2005 | A&R |
| The Price of Fame | Bow Wow | 2006 | A&R |
| 21 | Omarion | 2006 | Executive Producer, A&R |
| C.O.D. : Cash On Delivery | Ray Cash | 2006 | Producer, Executive Producer |
| Ice Box/The Truth [Australia Single] | Omarion | 2006 | Executive Producer |
| A Mary Mary Christmas | Mary Mary | 2006 | A&R |
| Entourage | Omarion | 2006 | Executive Producer |
| Ice Box [Sony] | Omarion | 2007 | Executive Producer |
| Pink Box | Pink | 2007 | A&R |
| Once Again | John Legend | 2007 | A&R |
| Evolver | John Legend | 2008 | Album Producer, Producer, Writer |
| D.N.A. | Mario | 2009 | Producer, Writer |
| Radioactive | Yelawolf | 2011 | Co-Executive Producer |
References
edit- ^ kpthegreat.com/about-me.php
- ^ "Q&A: KP the Great on his path from artist to executive, protest music, and more". June 30, 2020.
- ^ "Okayplayer.com Interview". Okayplayer. Archived from the original on May 31, 2008. Retrieved May 28, 2008.
- ^ "Kawan KP Prather". December 30, 2008.
- ^ "TAXI". taxi.com. Retrieved July 1, 2005.
- ^ "Okayplayer.com Interview". Okayplayer. Archived from the original on May 31, 2008. Retrieved May 28, 2008.