Salamani Music was founded, in Los Angeles, by William D. "Smitty" Smith and Patricia Grizzle Huling in 1971.

 

First called Patramani, a branch still active today, their entities were among the first publishing companies owned and operated by African Americans. Initially a vehicle for William D. "Smitty" Smith's own recordings in the 1960's-1980's, Salamani Music began writing and licensing songs out to notable artists such as Maurice White, Etta James, Dionne Warwick, Roberta Flack and Richie Havens.

 

Salamani Music is one of the few publishing companies, of those eras, to stay current and relevant in the ever-changing music business landscape. Salamani Music's catalog is highly sought after by new generations of Soul, R&B and Hip Hop and has been sampled and covered by J Dilla, D'Angelo, DJ Premier and A$AP Rocky, among others.

 

Salamani Music has been under the helm of Smith and Grizzle Huling's son, Amani "Burt Blackarach" Smith, since 1986 when he was just a teenager.