American King Music was founded in 2006 by New York rapper Mims along with his business partners Corey Llewellyn and Erik Mendelson. Securing a record deal was difficult for Mims in his early years. A lack of demand for New York artists resulted in Mims being turned down by Bad Boy Records, Atlantic Records, and Interscope Records. Upon touring with Method Man in 2003, an opportunity with Def Jam Recordings came about but did not meet initial expectations. The label launched their own production team in 2007. They would also sign R&B acts Prince Ty & Jason Derulo.