Houston producer Mike Dean, who for years has worked with Scarface, Geto Boys, Beyoncé, UGK, Devin the Dude, Kanye West, The Weeknd, and more, has launched a label, Apex Sound, in collaboration with producer Apex Martin (Future, Ty Dolla $ign, PNB Rock).

First up on the list of signees is a singer from New York named Sash, who built a name on SoundCloud. “Apex has been telling me for years about Sash, but then again, he’s been telling me about a lot of artists who are popping now,” Dean told Variety.

Dean started off his career crafting classics for Houston legends (including Selena) through his extensive work with Rap-a-lot records, and helped shaped the sound of early Southern rap alongside producers like N.O. Joe, Mannie Fresh, DJ Paul, and Organized Noize. Since then, he's worked with everyone from Jay-Z, Nas, Pusha T, and Madonna to Freddie Gibbs and Frank Ocean.