On the 12th anniversary of the formation of Hi-Lite Records, the founder of the label Paloalto announced its closure.
The rapper took to Instagram on April 20th to let fans know that he would be going live later that night to make a "major announcement" concerning the record label. His announcement via Instagram Live, however, came as shock to many K Hip-Hop fans as he stated that Hi-Lite Records would be dissolving and closing down. The decision to close the label was due to a number of factors, however, Paloalto stated that the primary reason was that both he and the executives of the label felt as though they had "accomplished what they could" and that there was little reason to keep the label running. He was joined by fellow rapper and Hi-Lite artist Huckleberry P, and together they asked fans to continue to give support to Hi-Lite artists in their future endeavours. The announcement drew many big names in the K Hip-Hop industry to the live like Basick, YUMDDA, Geegooin and BIGONE, many of whom expressed their support and appreciation for both the label and Paloalto.
Hi-Lite Records is the brainchild of Paloalto who formed it in 2010. He served as CEO of the label until 2020 when he decided the take a step back and focus on his own music. Throughout the years, the label has been lauded for placing an emphasis on the music of its artists rather than their visuals, and for allowing them to express themselves creatively without confinement. This authenticity led to it becoming one of the most noteworthy Hip-Hop labels in South Korea. In addition to Paloalto and Huckleberry P, during its 12-year existence, the label has also housed popular artists like Keith Ape, Reddy, Swervy, G2, Okasian, Owell Mood and Ash-B.
When asked about his plans for the future, Paloalto stated that he had no intentions of starting another label. However, it was announced that he would be starting a podcast called ‘팔로알토의 국힙 LEGACY’ (Paloalto’s Korean Hip-Hop LEGACY) which is set to air on Genie Music.
We wish both Paloalto and the Hi-Lite artists success in their future projects.