161:
Although the label began with a focus on white artists, the
Drozens shifted focus to the black audience in 1970, feeling that the market for black comedians was still untapped. They took out radio ads in major cities, increasing their sales by 300 percent and enabling them to move into larger
406:
Note that there were several earlier, unrelated companies that issued 78 RPM discs under the name Laff
Records in the late 1940s. Of these, one was based in New York, a second was allegedly from Chicago, and a third released titles under the name Laff-Disc (later abbreviated to L D). All were
271:
Laff also became notorious both for the questionable quality of its record pressings and for its frequent repackaging of previously released titles with new titles and artwork. Pryor's vast quantity of releases issued by Laff is a case in point. Pryor released only one album for Laff,
138:, wrote that "no other company cranked out as many comedy LPs during the 1970s. While much of its content was undeniably amateurish, it documented a subculture most comedy fans were unaware existed." It is most well known for releasing a series of
249:
Releases on Laff were notorious for raunchy content on both the record and its album jacket. Many releases had to be denoted with an "Adults Only" warning on the front cover and sold under the counter, decades before the infamous
315:, complained that the terms Laff offered them were unfair and unfavorable; Greene called Drozen a "hustler." Pryor had signed with Laff for only $ 5,000, which Drozen said Pryor urgently needed to pay off his drug dealers.
343:
311:. Pryor himself publicly criticized the albums for including material that was nearly a decade old at the time, and encouraged Grammy voters to choose something else. Many comedians, including Pryor and
254:
sticker was a fixture on album covers. Radio advertising on black stations was crucial in getting customers to ask for the records by name at the stores. Many Laff album covers featured
354:
David Drozen left the label in 1984 after disagreements with his father. Laff folded a year later. Its last "hit" recording was Kip
Addotta's "Wet Dream" (a favorite of fans of the
396:
1150:
288:
in 1974; the case was settled when Laff gave Pryor his freedom in exchange for being allowed to compile albums from recordings it made with Pryor between 1969 and 1973.
384:, purchased the rights to all of Richard's Laff masters and raw tapes from San Juan Music, the successor in interest to Laff Records. The Pryors then gave free rein to
1145:
226:
1002:
802:
514:
454:
162:
offices. Richard Pryor was one of the first comedians to be signed by the label after the change in direction. The roster also included
321:
The
Drozens also expanded into different genres, releasing non-comedy albums under the label Ala Records starting with the 1971 record
292:
143:
838:
362:
briefly re-released Foxx and Pryor titles on cassette and compact disc that had been originally issued by Laff, including Pryor's
358:
radio show), but many of their more profitable recordings still circulated through other labels for some time afterward. In 1993,
403:
David Drozen later became president of the label Uproar
Entertainment, which has reissued some of the remaining Laff masters.
909:
158:
by jewelry-store owner Lou Drozen; his son David Drozen joined in 1969 as vice president and producer of many of its albums.
32:
1155:
368:. These releases disappeared from store shelves after Island's parent company PolyGram was absorbed by Universal Music.
942:
932:
904:
1160:
117:
212:
937:
179:
1050:
890:
668:
284:
416:
268:
once told a reporter, “I almost had a deal with Laff
Records, but they were a little too dirty for me.”
1029:
969:
756:
724:
694:
663:
631:
604:
574:
544:
481:
390:
364:
351:
by Freddy Starr. In the late 1970s, the
Drozens founded two new labels, Jazz World and Gospeltone.
274:
381:
330:
199:
1024:
998:
992:
844:
834:
798:
792:
510:
450:
444:
251:
964:
869:
751:
719:
689:
626:
599:
569:
504:
476:
394:
album and the best of other Laff releases. The results were released in 2005 on the 2-CD set
1054:
539:
326:
778:
195:
131:
1125:
142:
albums, mostly without Pryor's participation or approval, which earned the label several
359:
334:
231:
291:
Pryor was a huge artist for the label even after he parted ways. The label received a
1139:
385:
377:
312:
259:
203:
187:
183:
171:
139:
1080:
1067:"The Blue Pages - The Encyclopedic Guide To 78RPM Party Records: Laff Records (NY)"
338:
279:
239:
191:
167:
121:
87:
828:
355:
217:
207:
175:
155:
125:
105:
1066:
446:
The
Comedians: Drunks, Thieves, Scoundrels, and the History of American Comedy
264:
243:
848:
278:, with his direct participation and then later signed a deal with the larger
163:
1094:
388:
to go through the tapes and make an anthology that included the entire
31:
407:
probably defunct long before the Los
Angeles label began operations.
255:
206:. Laff also released a few discs by white artists, notably including
83:
1108:
1130:
870:"GRAMMY Awards Winners & Nominees for Best Comedy Album"
794:
Object
Performance in the Black Atlantic: The United States
318:
By 1979, the label had a catalog of more than 100 records.
720:"Spoken Word: Preserving the Sound of a Cultural Heritage"
830:
Furious Cool: Richard Pryor and the World That Made Him
781:," by Listener Kliph Nesteroff, WFMU, January 30, 2011.
1126:
Laff Records Illustrated Discography at rassoodock.com
594:
592:
506:
Black Founder: The Hidden Power of Being an Outsider
994:
Art and Upheaval: Artists on the World's Frontlines
833:. Chapel Hill, NC: Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill.
822:
820:
627:"Laff Getting Sales Action Via Shift To Black Acts"
564:
562:
534:
532:
120:specializing in mainly African-American comedy and
101:
93:
79:
64:
56:
41:
24:
397:Evolution/Revolution: The Early Years (1966–1974)
746:
744:
742:
714:
712:
222:Should Lesbians Be Allowed to Play Pro-Football?
913:. The News-Journal Corporation. January 9, 1979
438:
436:
434:
432:
174:, black ventriloquist duo Richard And Willie,
657:
655:
653:
651:
649:
8:
282:label. Laff sued Pryor after Stax released
1151:Defunct record labels of the United States
295:in 1982 for its release of the Pryor disc
21:
905:"Bee Gees Head Lists For 6 Grammy Awards"
1081:"The Blue Pages: Laff Records (Chicago)"
752:"New Horizons For Laff's Second Decade"
662:Gonzales, Michael A. (April 24, 2015).
428:
991:Cleveland, William; Estés, C. (2008).
779:King of Slobs: The Life of Joe E. Ross
540:"Laff Label Extends To 'Vintage' Rock"
797:. Taylor & Francis. p. 134.
7:
600:"Black Humor: More Than Just Laughs"
299:, as well as nominations for 1978's
154:Laff Records was founded in 1967 in
1146:American independent record labels
997:. New Village Press. p. 190.
664:"Too Blue: The Laff Records Story"
293:Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album
14:
827:Henry, David; Henry, Joe (2013).
570:"Keeping the Customers Satsified"
16:American independent record label
933:"Newcomer Is Top Grammy Nominee"
509:. Kensington Books. p. 18.
30:
449:. Grove Atlantic. p. 316.
323:Rappin' Black in a White World
1:
1051:White Boy Rapp by Kip Addotta
910:Daytona Beach Morning Journal
238:, on which she impersonated
1095:"The Blue Pages: Laff-Disc"
791:Richards, Paulette (2023).
227:Little House on the Prairie
1177:
943:The New York Times Company
344:Friends From the Beginning
443:Nesteroff, Kliph (2015).
146:nominations and one win.
29:
118:independent record label
938:Sarasota Herald-Tribune
347:and the 1984 rap album
200:Clarence "Blowfly" Reid
669:Red Bull Music Academy
503:Spikes, Stacy (2023).
380:and his wife/manager,
240:President Jimmy Carter
213:Car 54, Where Are You?
1109:"The Blue Pages: L D"
893:. Awards & Shows.
417:List of record labels
134:, author of the book
116:was a small American
1156:Comedy record labels
1131:Uproar Entertainment
891:"Grammy Awards 1978"
305:The Wizard of Comedy
391:Craps (After Hours)
365:Craps (After Hours)
285:That Nigger's Crazy
275:Craps (After Hours)
188:Skillet & Leroy
124:founded in 1967 in
945:. January 20, 1981
382:Jennifer Lee Pryor
331:The Watts Prophets
301:Are You Serious???
1004:978-1-61332-036-5
804:978-1-000-91989-9
516:978-1-4967-3958-2
456:978-0-8021-9086-4
333:, as well as the
252:Parental Advisory
111:
110:
94:Country of origin
36:Laff Records logo
1168:
1113:
1112:
1105:
1099:
1098:
1091:
1085:
1084:
1077:
1071:
1070:
1063:
1057:
1055:Internet Archive
1048:
1042:
1041:
1039:
1038:
1021:
1015:
1014:
1012:
1011:
988:
982:
981:
979:
978:
961:
955:
954:
952:
950:
929:
923:
922:
920:
918:
901:
895:
894:
887:
881:
880:
878:
876:
866:
860:
859:
857:
855:
824:
815:
814:
812:
811:
788:
782:
775:
769:
768:
766:
765:
748:
737:
736:
734:
733:
716:
707:
706:
704:
703:
686:
680:
679:
677:
676:
659:
644:
643:
641:
640:
623:
617:
616:
614:
613:
596:
587:
586:
584:
583:
566:
557:
556:
554:
553:
536:
527:
526:
524:
523:
500:
494:
493:
491:
490:
473:
467:
466:
464:
463:
440:
372:Post-dissolution
327:political poetry
210:'s "Wet Dream",
75:
73:
52:
50:
34:
22:
1176:
1175:
1171:
1170:
1169:
1167:
1166:
1165:
1161:1970s in comedy
1136:
1135:
1122:
1117:
1116:
1107:
1106:
1102:
1093:
1092:
1088:
1079:
1078:
1074:
1065:
1064:
1060:
1049:
1045:
1036:
1034:
1023:
1022:
1018:
1009:
1007:
1005:
990:
989:
985:
976:
974:
963:
962:
958:
948:
946:
931:
930:
926:
916:
914:
903:
902:
898:
889:
888:
884:
874:
872:
868:
867:
863:
853:
851:
841:
826:
825:
818:
809:
807:
805:
790:
789:
785:
776:
772:
763:
761:
750:
749:
740:
731:
729:
718:
717:
710:
701:
699:
688:
687:
683:
674:
672:
661:
660:
647:
638:
636:
625:
624:
620:
611:
609:
598:
597:
590:
581:
579:
568:
567:
560:
551:
549:
538:
537:
530:
521:
519:
517:
502:
501:
497:
488:
486:
475:
474:
470:
461:
459:
457:
442:
441:
430:
425:
413:
374:
196:Mantan Moreland
152:
132:Kliph Nesteroff
71:
69:
48:
46:
37:
20:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1174:
1172:
1164:
1163:
1158:
1153:
1148:
1138:
1137:
1134:
1133:
1128:
1121:
1120:External links
1118:
1115:
1114:
1100:
1086:
1072:
1058:
1043:
1025:"Inside Track"
1016:
1003:
983:
965:"Inside Track"
956:
924:
896:
882:
861:
839:
816:
803:
783:
770:
738:
708:
681:
645:
618:
588:
558:
528:
515:
495:
468:
455:
427:
426:
424:
421:
420:
419:
412:
409:
373:
370:
360:Island Records
335:Little Richard
262:of the sitcom
234:'s 1978 album
232:Alison Arngrim
151:
148:
109:
108:
103:
99:
98:
95:
91:
90:
81:
77:
76:
66:
62:
61:
58:
54:
53:
43:
39:
38:
35:
27:
26:
18:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1173:
1162:
1159:
1157:
1154:
1152:
1149:
1147:
1144:
1143:
1141:
1132:
1129:
1127:
1124:
1123:
1119:
1110:
1104:
1101:
1096:
1090:
1087:
1082:
1076:
1073:
1068:
1062:
1059:
1056:
1053: at the
1052:
1047:
1044:
1032:
1031:
1026:
1020:
1017:
1006:
1000:
996:
995:
987:
984:
972:
971:
966:
960:
957:
944:
940:
939:
934:
928:
925:
912:
911:
906:
900:
897:
892:
886:
883:
871:
865:
862:
850:
846:
842:
840:9781616200787
836:
832:
831:
823:
821:
817:
806:
800:
796:
795:
787:
784:
780:
774:
771:
759:
758:
753:
747:
745:
743:
739:
727:
726:
721:
715:
713:
709:
697:
696:
691:
685:
682:
671:
670:
665:
658:
656:
654:
652:
650:
646:
634:
633:
628:
622:
619:
607:
606:
601:
595:
593:
589:
577:
576:
571:
565:
563:
559:
547:
546:
541:
535:
533:
529:
518:
512:
508:
507:
499:
496:
484:
483:
478:
472:
469:
458:
452:
448:
447:
439:
437:
435:
433:
429:
422:
418:
415:
414:
410:
408:
404:
401:
399:
398:
393:
392:
387:
386:Rhino Records
383:
379:
378:Richard Pryor
371:
369:
367:
366:
361:
357:
352:
350:
346:
345:
340:
336:
332:
328:
324:
319:
316:
314:
313:Shecky Greene
310:
307:, and 1981's
306:
302:
298:
294:
289:
287:
286:
281:
277:
276:
269:
267:
266:
261:
260:Jimmie Walker
257:
253:
247:
245:
241:
237:
233:
229:
228:
223:
219:
215:
214:
209:
205:
204:Wildman Steve
201:
197:
193:
189:
185:
184:Cha Cha Hogan
181:
177:
173:
172:George Carlin
169:
165:
159:
157:
149:
147:
145:
141:
140:Richard Pryor
137:
136:The Comedians
133:
129:
127:
123:
122:party records
119:
115:
107:
104:
100:
96:
92:
89:
88:party records
85:
82:
78:
67:
63:
59:
55:
44:
40:
33:
28:
23:
1103:
1089:
1075:
1061:
1046:
1035:. Retrieved
1033:. 1984-07-21
1028:
1019:
1008:. Retrieved
993:
986:
975:. Retrieved
973:. 1978-02-11
968:
959:
947:. Retrieved
936:
927:
915:. Retrieved
908:
899:
885:
873:. Retrieved
864:
852:. Retrieved
829:
808:. Retrieved
793:
786:
773:
762:. Retrieved
760:. 1978-01-07
755:
730:. Retrieved
728:. 1979-06-09
723:
700:. Retrieved
698:. 1971-01-09
693:
690:"Soul Sauce"
684:
673:. Retrieved
667:
637:. Retrieved
635:. 1970-10-30
630:
621:
610:. Retrieved
608:. 1996-09-28
603:
580:. Retrieved
578:. 1999-07-10
573:
550:. Retrieved
548:. 1972-06-10
543:
520:. Retrieved
505:
498:
487:. Retrieved
485:. 1967-12-09
480:
471:
460:. Retrieved
445:
405:
402:
395:
389:
375:
363:
353:
348:
342:
339:Jimi Hendrix
322:
320:
317:
308:
304:
300:
297:Rev. Du Rite
296:
290:
283:
273:
270:
263:
248:
242:'s daughter
236:Heeere's Amy
235:
225:
221:
211:
192:Reynaldo Rey
168:LaWanda Page
160:
153:
135:
130:
114:Laff Records
113:
112:
25:Laff Records
19:Record label
356:Dr. Demento
218:Joe E. Ross
208:Kip Addotta
176:Belle Barth
156:Los Angeles
126:Los Angeles
106:Los Angeles
1140:Categories
1037:2023-07-01
1010:2023-07-01
977:2023-07-01
854:24 January
810:2023-07-01
764:2023-07-01
732:2023-07-01
702:2023-07-01
675:2023-07-01
639:2023-07-01
612:2023-07-01
582:2023-07-01
552:2023-07-01
522:2023-07-01
489:2023-07-01
477:"Signings"
462:2023-07-01
423:References
309:Holy Smoke
265:Good Times
180:Rex Benson
60:Lou Drozen
1030:Billboard
970:Billboard
949:April 23,
917:April 23,
849:900929967
757:Billboard
725:Billboard
695:Billboard
632:Billboard
605:Billboard
575:Billboard
545:Billboard
482:Billboard
303:, 1979's
164:Redd Foxx
875:July 22,
411:See also
376:In 2002
349:Skid Row
258:models.
230:actress
102:Location
256:topless
150:History
70: (
65:Defunct
57:Founder
47: (
42:Founded
1001:
847:
837:
801:
513:
453:
341:album
329:group
224:, and
202:, and
144:Grammy
84:Comedy
216:star
80:Genre
999:ISBN
951:2010
919:2010
877:2021
856:2019
845:OCLC
835:ISBN
799:ISBN
511:ISBN
451:ISBN
337:and
280:Stax
97:U.S.
72:1985
68:1985
49:1967
45:1967
325:by
244:Amy
128:.
1142::
1027:.
967:.
941:.
935:.
907:.
843:.
819:^
754:.
741:^
722:.
711:^
692:.
666:.
648:^
629:.
602:.
591:^
572:.
561:^
542:.
531:^
479:.
431:^
400:.
246:.
220:'
198:,
194:,
190:,
186:,
182:,
178:,
170:,
166:,
86:,
1111:.
1097:.
1083:.
1069:.
1040:.
1013:.
980:.
953:.
921:.
879:.
858:.
813:.
777:"
767:.
735:.
705:.
678:.
642:.
615:.
585:.
555:.
525:.
492:.
465:.
74:)
51:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
