▁in ▁ 2 0 0 4 ▁by ▁De S ha un ▁' Proof ' ▁Hol ton . ▁Cleveland ▁' 1 st ▁Born ' ▁H urd ▁is ▁the ▁current ▁president ▁and ▁chief ▁executive ▁officer ▁of ▁the ▁label , ▁K hal id ▁El ▁H ak im ▁is ▁the ▁vice - pres ident ▁and ▁chief ▁operations ▁officer . ▁ ▁Big ▁Proof ▁ ▁The ▁first ▁release ▁via ▁Iron ▁F ist ▁Records ▁was ▁its ▁founder ' s ▁I ▁Miss ▁The ▁H ip ▁Hop ▁Sh op ▁dropped ▁on ▁June ▁ 1 5 , ▁ 2 0 0 4 . ▁ ▁The ▁label ▁became ▁well - known ▁with ▁Iron ▁F ist ▁recorded ▁Proof ' s ▁first ▁w ides p read ▁solo ▁album , ▁Search ing ▁for ▁Jerry ▁Gar cia , ▁which ▁included ▁guest ▁appearances ▁by ▁the ▁lik es ▁of ▁Method ▁Man , ▁B - Real , ▁ 5 0 ▁Cent , ▁Ob ie ▁Tr ice , ▁now ▁dece ased ▁rapp ers ▁N ate ▁Dog g ▁and ▁MC ▁Bre ed , ▁the ▁whole ▁D 1 2 ▁band ▁including ▁E min em . ▁The ▁album ▁reached ▁number ▁ 6 5 ▁on ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Billboard ▁ 2 0 0 . ▁ ▁After ▁Proof ' s ▁death ▁( A pril ▁ 1 1 , ▁ 2 0 0 6 ), ▁ 1 st ▁Born , ▁a ▁close ▁friend ▁of ▁Big ▁Proof ▁became ▁CE O ▁and ▁president ▁of ▁the ▁label . ▁▁ 1 st ▁Born ▁ ▁Proof ▁placed ▁Cleveland ▁L . ▁H urd ▁( prof ession ally ▁known ▁as ▁ 1 st