If the Virginia duo last album Hell Hath No Fury released via Jive have been a great LP that received critical acclaim it did not enjoy a great marketing support from their record label despite production from the Neptunes and the single Mr. Me Too featuring Pharrell. It has sold just 194,000 copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

The Clipse emerged early this decade on Star Trak, which at the time was distributed by Arista. The duo’s 2002 debut, Lord Willin, was a critical and commercial smash, and has sold 948,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

The Clipse were free agents since may this year and it looks like they took their time to sign a deal that would fit with their future projects.

After talks with different labels, they evntually signed a five-year, 50/50 profit-sharing arrangement with Columbia for Re-Up Gang Records.

The Clipse will own the masters for its Re-Up Gang artists, Ab Liva and Sandman. Next year, the Clipse will issue a Re-Up Gang album as well as a new studio disc, but for the first time, the latter will not be produced solely by the Neptunes. Instead, the brothers are anticipating working with Timbaland, Danjahandz and Dame Grease.

"I can honestly say that we were all friends before the music and will be friends to the end," Malice says of his relationship with http://www.hiphopgalaxy.com/Timbaland-hip-hop-2109.html. "Everything is business. If we had our way, we would always be on Star Trak. But it’s what’s working for you and what’s not. We just want good energy, and Columbia has both the urgency and the muscle."