Rawkus Records was an American hip-hop record label known for jump-starting the careers of both Mos Def and Talib Kweli. Rawkus started in 1995 with initial releases ranging from hip-hop, drum and bass and fun-dustrial (Dystopia One). Label heads Brian Brater and Jarret Myer then signed some of the top underground talent from the New York area, notably Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Hi-Tek and Company Flow, who went on to define the label's sound.