Rhymesayers, an independent hip-hop label, was founded in 1995. The company's mission at its inception was to give a national and international voice to rap talent on the local underground scene. Appropriately, then, Minneapolis stalwarts make up the bulk of Rhymesayers' roster. As of 2011, that included such local luminaries as Atmosphere and Brother Ali. Perhaps the most well-known artist to have ever been represented by Rhymesayers, however, is New York's MF Doom, who released the critically-acclaimed "MM.Food" on the label in 2004. Rhymesayers also runs Fifth Element, one of the city's most prominent hip-hop record stores.
Modern Radio, which launched in 1999, describes itself as an "'independent and do-it-yourself record label." Its co-owners, Tom Loftus and Peter Mielech, purposely seek indie and alternative acts with Twin Cities connections. Some acts that have recorded for Modern Radio include The Plastic Constellations, Deerhoof, Motion City Soundtrack and Vampire Hands. In a 2010 interview with the Onion's A/V Club, Mielech pointed out that he and Loftus aren't in it for the money. "If we have an opportunity to put out a record by a band we love, versus having an office, we'll probably choose the project," he said.
Omnium places its focus on "world music that rocks." That banner has encompassed a diverse range of artists. English traditional folk accordionist John Kirkpatrick has worked with Omnium, as have Dembo Konte and Kausu Kuyateh, masters of the West African kora. Also signed to the label as of 2011 are Celtic punk legends Boiled in Lead, a fixture on the Minneapolis scene since 1983, and Wisconsin's Reptile Palace Orchestra. The Allmusic Guide has complimented the Reptile Palace Orchestra on its ambition, humor and "sense of adventure."
Formerly a small DIY outfit, De Stijl Records acquired national attention in 2007 with the signing of a distribution deal with Sub Pop. However, it remains a modest organization, preferring simply to release records, rather than information about itself. Even De Stijl's web presence is enigmatic, offering not so much as a contact address for the label. In a 2010 interview with Minneapolis Citypages, owner Clint Simonson claimed his ambition is simply to "work with bands that make great records ... that people want to own." Simonson has released recordings by minimalist folk experimentalist Jakob Olausson and veteran psychedelic rocker Michael Yonkers.