Black Star

Black Star is a Russian record label, production company. The founders and owners of the label are Timur Yunusov (Timati) (withdrew from the share of the Music Label on July 27, 2020), Pavel Kuryanov (Pashu) and Walter Lerusse (Walter). The General Director is Pavel Kuryanov.

In 2006, Timati organized the production center "Black Star inc.".

In 2007, "Black Star Inc." together with the companies "ARS" and "IlyaKireev Company" organize an R&B/Soul festival called "Version 0.1"[1]. After the competition, two festival participants were invited to the label — B.K. (Boris Gabaraev) and Music Hayk (Hayk Movsisyan).

After recording a joint song with Timati "Milagres" for the STS TV channel, it became clear that B.K. and Music Hayk sound very good together. This is how the band was formed, which later became known as "Tom'n'jerry". In 2008, the band recorded the debut track "Love and Peace— - the soundtrack to the film "Hitler Kaput!", and in 2009 released a remix version of the song "You are the Light for me" with Anastasia Kochetkova and took part in Timati's album The Boss[3].

In 2009, producer Valery Evsikov left the label, who had previously collaborated with Timati for more than three years and is the author of such songs as "Dance", "Forever", "Heaven is Crying", "Don't go Crazy"[4].

In 2010, the label Black Star Inc. bought singer Karina Cox, who had previously been a soloist of the group "Cream", for $ 1.5 million[5]. Two video singles of the singer were released — "Fly high" and "Everything is decided".In 2012, the label signed hip-hop artists Levan Gorozia (L'One[6]), Egor Bulatkin (Kreed) and artist Pavel Galanin[7]. In the same year DJ M.E.G., B.K., Music Hayk, Lucky and Pavel Galinin left the label.

In 2013, the label left the R'n'B performer Dzhigan and signs a contract with new artists Matvey Melnikov (izv. like Moth) and Kristina Sarkisyan (Kristina Si). At the same time, the label holds an All-Russian casting "Young Blood 2013". According to the results of the selection, Nathan Mirov and Fidel become the new artists of the label.

In 2014, the label signed hip-hop artist Dostonbek Islamov (MC Doni).

In the fall of 2015, Black Star Inc. signs a new artist, rapper from Tomsk Alexander Morozov, known as Sasha Chest. On October 7 of the same year, a joint clip with Timati "Best Friend", dedicated to Vladimir Putin's birthday, was released[8].

In October 2015, the label holds the All-Russian casting "Young Blood 2015". 2,500 people were admitted to the selection. According to the results of the selection, Eduard Vygranovsky (Scrooge), Claudia Vysokova (Klava Coca) and Dana Sokolova became the new artists of the label[9]. At the same time, the contract is signed by the co-author of the songs he was, Mikhail Reshetnyak (Misha Marvin).

On October 10, 2016, on the eve of the tenth anniversary of its founding, an image appeared on the official website of the label, representing a crossed-out logo and the inscription "The end". Similar images were posted on social networks on the pages of the label and its artists. Among fans and journalists, there were versions of the closure of the label or a PR campaign related to the rebranding or the release of a new album [10][11]. The next day, the online publication Life, citing a source close to the company, reported that what was happening was a marketing move before the upcoming rebranding [12][13]. At the same time, in 2016, Sasha Chest announced his departure from the label.

In early March 2018, R'n'B singer Kristina Si left the label.

On February 10, 2018, the label is casting the first season of the show "Songs" on the TNT channel. According to the results of the casting, Oleg Ternovoy (Terry) became the winner, and contracts were signed with Nazima Dzhanibekova and Daniil Burtsev (DanyMuse). At the same time in autumn with Alexander Dobrovsky (Pabl.A).

In mid-March 2019, R'n'B artists Egor Creed and L'one left the label.

On February 16, 2019, the label holds the casting of the second season of the show "Songs" on the TNT channel for the second time. According to the results of the casting, Vyacheslav Isakov (Slame) became the new artist of the label, and contracts were signed with Anna Boronina, Arsen Antonyan, Artem Amchislavsky (Amchi) and Anna Saidalieva (Anet Sai).

On July 27, 2020, the label's immediate founder Timati leaves, also withdrawing the full catalog of his songs. The reason is called the "loss of chamber charm" of the label[14].

In September 2021, Egor Ship joins the label[15].