Kareem Burke

Kareem "Biggs" Burke (born January 19, 1974) is an American entrepreneur, record executive, and film producer. Burke is best known as the co-founder of Roc-A-Fella Records along with Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter and Damon "Dame" Dash.[1]

Kareem Burke
Born (1974-01-19) January 19, 1974
New York City, New York, U.S.
NationalityAmerican
Other namesKareem "Biggs" Burke
OccupationEntrepreneur, record executive, film producer
Years active1995–present
Known forCo-founder of Roc-A-Fella Records

Early life

Kareem Burke was born in Harlem, New York on January 19, 1974.[2] Burke has four siblings, Robert "Bobalob" Burke, Kyambo R. "Hip-Hop" Joshua, and twins Jamil "Mal" Clay and a sister. In 2003, his brother Robert E. Burke III was murdered in the Bronx. [3][4]

Career

In 1995, Burke co-founded the record label Roc-A-Fella Records with Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter and Damon "Dame" Dash. Burke also co-founded Rocawear in 1999, with Carter and Dash. In 2004, Roc-A-Fella Records was purchased by Def Jam Recordings (which had previously only owned half of the company). And in late 2005, Carter bought Dash and Burke out of their stake in Rocawear.[5]

In 2018, Burke executive produced the film, O.G. which premiered on HBO on February 23, 2019.[6]

In February 2019, it was announced that Burke had signed Saint Jhn to his management company, Circle of Success.[7] Burke has spoken about how meeting Saint Jhn pushed his management vision further, as he heard Saint Jhn's music at a listening party. According to Burke, "The night [Roc Nation co-founder Tyran Smith], played a preview of Saint Jhn's new album, I drove home listening to Collection One and had an immediate sonic connection to his music." Shortly after, Burke became Saint Jhn's manager.[8]

It's a Hard Truth, Ain't It

In August of 2020, Biggs took to social media to announce an Emmy nomination for “It's a Hard Truth, Ain't It”. Kareem Burke co-directed and executive produced the project and it premiered at the 2018 Tribeca Film Festival alongside O.G., another film that was produced at Indiana’s Pendleton Correctional Facility during the same period. “It’s a Hard Truth...” documents thirteen incarcerated men as they study filmmaking while exploring a therapeutic process of how they landed in prison with lengthy sentences. The men all received directors credit for the film along with O.G. director Madeleine Sackler. Several of those thirteen men were also cast as first-time actors in O.G., having the opportunity to work with Tony, Golden Globe, and Emmy winning actor, Jeffrey Wright.[9] “It’s a Hard Truth Ain’t It” is the first widely released documentary to be directed by men still incarcerated in a maximum security prison.[10]

References
  1. Fraser, George C. (May 5, 2009). Success Runs in Our Race. HarperCollins. ISBN 9780061927027.
  2. Williams, Austin (December 5, 2018). "The Business of Kareem "Biggs" Burke is Always Personal". Complex. Retrieved June 16, 2019.
  3. Diep, Eric (November 14, 2018). "Kareem "Biggs" Burke on How 'The Black Album' Made His Brother Immortal". read.tidal.com. Retrieved June 16, 2019.
  4. Grass Routes Podcast (October 19, 2017). "Mal talks Jay Z, Kareem "Biggs" Burke, The Joe Budden Podcast | Grass Routes Podcast #12". YouTube. Retrieved June 16, 2019.
  5. Konigsberg, Eric (June 8, 2006). "Why Former Roc-a-Fella Records Partner Damon Dash Hates Mondays -- New York Magazine - Nymag". New York. Retrieved June 16, 2019.
  6. Nelson Jr, Keith (February 26, 2019). "Kareem 'Biggs' Burke talks HBO's 'O.G.' and working on a Roc-A-Fella biopic". Revolt TV. Retrieved June 16, 2019.
  7. Lyle, Ashley (February 19, 2019). "Roc-A-Fella Co-Founder Kareem 'Biggs' Burke Returns to Music Biz, Signs SAINt JHN to Management Company: Exclusive". Billboard. Retrieved June 16, 2019.
  8. Fitzgerald, Trent (February 19, 2019). "Kareem "Biggs" Burke Launches Management Company, Signs Saint Jhn - XXL". XXL. Retrieved September 24, 2019.
  9. "It's a Hard Truth, Ain't It". hbo.com.
  10. Travers, Ben. "'It's a Hard Truth Ain't It': Prisoners Direct Their Own Stories in HBO's Groundbreaking Doc-Watch". indiewire.com. Retrieved February 23, 2019.
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