Battery Records was a hip-hop label started by Neil Levine under Zomba Label Group, which is owned by Sony Music Entertainment. The label was launched mid-2008 by Sony BMG Music Entertainment.[1] The label primarily focuses on new talent, often overseeing early-stage development for acts that are destined for other labels such as J Records or Jive. However, it also serves established artists looking for non-traditional deals, such as releasing Q-Tip's solo album Kamaal the Abstract, which had been shelved nearly seven years prior.[2] In September 2011 Levine left Battery before Jive shut down in the following month.[3][4]