Kawan Prather

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Kawan Prather
Birth nameKawan Kawmi Prather
Also known asKP
Born (1973-03-30) March 30, 1973 (age 51)
OriginAtlanta, Georgia, U.S.
Genres
Occupations
  • Record executive
  • disc jockey
  • record producer
Years active1991-present
Labels
Formerly of

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 earn a major label deal with LaFace Records,[2] through which he launched his own subsidiary imprint Ghet-O-Vision Entertainment by the late 1990s. 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.

Prather's Ghet-O-Vision label is credited as the first to sign Atlanta-based hip hop acts YoungBloodZ and T.I. through LaFace Records by 1999, and later Tennessee rapper Yelawolf through Interscope Records in 2008. The label released both of the former acts' respective debut albums: Against da Grain (1999) and I'm Serious (2001). He served as the Vice President of A&R at Arista Records from 1999 to 2001, as well as for Columbia Records from 2002 to 2005. He was then appointed as "Senior Vice President of A&R" at Island Def Jam from 20112 to 2015, where he signed 15-year-old R&B singer Khalil. He has also served as "Head of Music" at Pharrell Williams' creative umbrella I Am Other since 2015.[3][4]

Biography

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In 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

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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

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  1. ^ kpthegreat.com/about-me.php
  2. ^ "Q&A: KP the Great on his path from artist to executive, protest music, and more". June 30, 2020.
  3. ^ "Okayplayer.com Interview". Okayplayer. Archived from the original on May 31, 2008. Retrieved May 28, 2008.
  4. ^ "Kawan KP Prather". December 30, 2008.
  5. ^ "TAXI". taxi.com. Retrieved July 1, 2005.
  6. ^ "Okayplayer.com Interview". Okayplayer. Archived from the original on May 31, 2008. Retrieved May 28, 2008.
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