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. The label primarily focused on new talent, often overseeing early-stage development for acts that were destined for other labels such as J Records or Jive. However, it also served 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. In September 2011, Levine left Battery before Jive shut down in the following month.