UpFront Records explained

UpFront Records is a record label owned and founded by DeVyne Stephens. Stephens began his career in the early 1990s with Devyne featuring 90 Miles an Hour. "I was one of the first artists L.A. [Reid] and Babyface signed to LaFace Records," he says. But the group broke up before it could release an album.

Undaunted, Stephens found his niche as a choreographer and imaging expert for LaFace Records. He worked with everyone from Pebbles, Toni Braxton and Pink to TLC, Usher and Boyz II Men. He says that people in Atlanta have their own individual style. "Being I'm a native from Atlanta, I cultivate that style and put it on different artists," he says.

Stephens discovered Senegalese R&B singer Akon, who just moved to Atlanta from New Jersey. He signed Akon to his own UpFront Records and secured a distribution deal with SRC/Universal. "I always believed that Akon was special," he says. Akon went on to sell over a million copies of his 2004 debut, Trouble, and score hit singles like "Locked Up" and "Lonely".

UpFront Records' roster includes Akon, R&B quartet Red Dirt, and the rap group FA (Free Agents). He says there isn't much difference between his former job at LaFace and his current duties as a record executive. He teaches his artists, "The first thing people look for is individuality. You gotta[sic] have that in the music industry. Style is definitely important."

Discography

Title! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:20em;"

Album details	Peak chart positions										Sales	Certifications
US [1]	US R&B [2]	AUS [3]	CAN [4]	GER [5]	IRL [6]	NZ [7]	SWE [8]	SWI [9]	UK [10]
Trouble	Released: June 29, 2004 (US)[11] Labels: UpFront, SRC, Universal Formats: LP, CD, digital download	18	3	12	—	24	3	2	49	31	1	US: 1,600,000[12]	RIAA: Platinum[13] ARIA: Gold[14] BPI: 2× Platinum[15] MC: Gold[16] RMNZ: 2× Platinum[17]
Konvicted	Released: November 14, 2006 (US)[18] Labels: Konvict, UpFront, SRC, Universal Motown Formats: LP, CD, digital download	2	2	16	4	75	10	1	41	23	16	US: 2,800,000	RIAA: 6× Platinum ARIA: Platinum[19] BPI: 2× Platinum IFPI SWI: Gold[20] IRMA: Platinum[21] MC: 2× Platinum RMNZ: 2× Platinum[22]
Freedom	Released: December 2, 2008 (US)[23] Labels: Konvict, UpFront, SRC, Universal Motown Formats: LP, CD, digital download	7	3	20	4	82	10	29	—	22	6	US: 770,000[24]	ARIA: Gold[25] BPI: Platinum MC: Platinum

See also

• List of record labels

Notes and References

1. Akon Chart History: Billboard 200 . . August 18, 2020.
2. Akon Chart History: Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums . . August 18, 2020.
3. Web site: Discography Akon . Hung Medien . australian-charts.com . September 16, 2013 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20121023091526/http://australian-charts.com/showinterpret.asp?interpret=Akon . October 23, 2012 .
4. Akon Chart History: Canadian Albums . . August 18, 2020.
5. Web site: Chartverfolgung / Akon / Longplay . . musicline.de . September 16, 2013 . de . https://web.archive.org/web/20150930042514/http://musicline.de/de/chartverfolgung_summary/artist/Akon/626/?type=longplay . September 30, 2015 . dead . mdy-all .
6. Web site: Discography Akon . Hung Medien . irish-charts.com . September 16, 2013.
7. Web site: Discography Akon . Hung Medien . charts.nz . September 16, 2013.
8. Web site: Discographie Akon . Hung Medien . Swedish Charts. September 16, 2013 . fr.
9. Web site: Akon . Hung Medien . swisscharts.com . September 16, 2013 . select "Charts" tab.
10. Web site: Akon . . September 16, 2013 . select "Albums" tab.
11. Web site: Trouble – Akon > Overview . . September 16, 2013 . Kellman, Andy.
12. Redemption Song: Akon . . November 25, 2008 . September 16, 2013 . Concepcion, Mariel.
13. Web site: Gold & Platinum: Akon . . December 9, 2022.
14. Web site: ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2005 Albums . . September 16, 2013 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20081221131234/http://www.aria.com.au/pages/aria-charts-accreditations-albums-2005.htm . December 21, 2008 .
15. United Kingdom. September 27, 2024. Akon.
16. Web site: Gold/Platinum – Akon . . July 5, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160602053405/http://musiccanada.com/gold-platinum/#!/gp_search=Akon . June 2, 2016 . dead . mdy-all .
17. Web site: Top 40 Albums Chart: Chart #1462 (Monday 30 May 2005) . . September 16, 2013 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130927194755/http://rianz.org.nz/rianz/oldchart.asp?chartNum=1462&chartKind=A . September 27, 2013 .
18. Web site: Konvicted by Akon . . . September 16, 2013.
19. Web site: ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2007 Albums . . September 16, 2013 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110515024321/http://www.aria.com.au/pages/httpwww.aria.com.aupagesARIACharts-Accreditations-2007Albums.htm . May 15, 2011 .
20. Web site: The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards (Akon) . Hung Medien . swisscharts.com . September 16, 2013.
21. Web site: 2007 Certification Awards – Platinum . . September 16, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120523085550/http://www.irishcharts.ie/awards/platinum07.htm . May 23, 2012 . dead . mdy-all .
22. Web site: Top 40 Albums Chart: Chart #1571 (Monday 30 May 2005) . . September 16, 2013 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140330064946/http://www.rianz.org.nz/rianz/oldchart.asp?chartNum=1571&chartKind=A . March 30, 2014 .
23. Web site: Freedom by Akon . . . January 2008 . September 16, 2013.
24. Akon Previews 'Akonic' Album at NY Listening . . September 22, 2010 . September 16, 2013 . Lipshutz, Jason.
25. Web site: ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2009 Albums . . September 16, 2013 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20091201022827/http://aria.com.au/pages/httpwww.aria.com.aupagesARIACharts-Accreditations-2009Albums.htm . December 1, 2009 .