Def Jam Recordings (also simply known as Def Jam) is an American multinational
record label
A record label, or record company, is a brand or trademark of music recordings and music videos, or the company that owns it. Sometimes, a record label is also a publishing company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the pr ...
owned by
Universal Music Group
Universal Music Group N.V. (often abbreviated as UMG and referred to as just Universal Music) is a Dutch–American multinational music corporation under Dutch law. UMG's corporate headquarters are located in Hilversum, Netherlands and its ...
. It is based in
Manhattan
Manhattan (), known regionally as the City, is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the five boroughs of New York City. The borough is also coextensive with New York County, one of the original counties of the U.S. state ...
, New York City, specializing predominantly in
hip hop,
contemporary R&B, soul and
pop
Pop or POP may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Music
* Pop music, a musical genre Artists
* POP, a Japanese idol group now known as Gang Parade
* Pop!, a UK pop group
* Pop! featuring Angie Hart, an Australian band
Albums
* ''Pop'' ( ...
.
The label has a London-based, UK arm known as 0207 Def Jam (formerly Def Jam UK in the 1990s until the mid-2000s) and is currently operated through
EMI Records. It has a Johannesburg, South Africa and Lagos, Nigeria-based arm known as
Def Jam Africa
Def Jam Recordings Africa (marketed as Def Jam Africa), is the African division of the international record label Def Jam Recordings. The label is owned by Universal Music Africa, a flagship of Universal Music Group. Founded in 2020, and operatin ...
. Def Jam distributes releases of various label imprints, including
Dave East's From the Dirt Records. Current artists include
Justin Bieber
Justin Drew Bieber ( ; born March 1, 1994) is a Canadian singer. Bieber is recognized for his genre-melding musicianship and has played an influential role in modern-day popular music. He was discovered by American record executive Scooter ...
,
Toya Johnson
Antonia "Toya" Rushing ( Johnson; born October 26, 1983) is an American reality television personality.
Early life
Johnson was born in New Orleans, Louisiana. She is the second child of Anita Johnson and Walter Andrews.
Career
In 2009, Johns ...
,
Nasty C,
2 Chainz,
Dave East,
Jeezy,
Jeremih,
Jhené Aiko,
Fredo Bang and
YK Osiris, among others.
Company history
Founding and CBS Records Group era (1983–1994)
Def Jam was co-founded by
Rick Rubin in his dormitory in Weinstein Hall at
New York University
New York University (NYU) is a private research university in New York City. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded by a group of New Yorkers led by then- Secretary of the Treasury Albert Gallatin.
In 1832, th ...
, and its first release was a single by his punk-rock group
Hose.
Russell Simmons
Russell Wendell Simmons (born October 4, 1957) is an American entrepreneur, writer and record executive. He co-founded the hip-hop label Def Jam Recordings, and created the clothing fashion lines Phat Farm, Argyleculture, and Tantris. Simmons ...
joined Rubin shortly after they were introduced to each other, according to one story, by
Vincent Gallo. Another cites
DJ Jazzy Jay as their connector. Rubin has said he met Simmons on the TV show ''
Graffiti Rock'' and recognized him then as "the face of hip hop": "He was five years older than me, and he was already established in the music business. And I had no experience whatsoever." The second single released with the Def Jam Recordings logo was
T La Rock
Terrence "Terry" Ronnie Keaton known by the stage name T La Rock, (born September 16, 1961) is an American old-school emcee best known for his collaboration with Def Jam Recordings co-founder Rick Rubin and the 1984 single "It's Yours."
Biog ...
& Jazzy Jay's "It's Yours." The first releases with Def Jam Recordings catalog numbers were
LL Cool J's "
I Need a Beat
I, or i, is the ninth letter and the third vowel letter of the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''i'' (pronounced ), plural ...
" and the
Beastie Boys' "
Rock Hard
"Rock Hard" is a single by the Beastie Boys, released by Def Jam Records on 12" in 1984. The track contains samples from the AC/DC song "Back in Black", which was used without obtaining legal permission, causing the record to be withdrawn. ...
", both in 1984. The singles sold well, eventually leading to a distribution deal with
CBS Records through
Columbia Records the following year. However, the Hose and T La Rock releases were ''not'' part of the deal and are now controlled by different entities.
This created a short-lived subsidiary label called OBR Records, short for Original Black Recordings, which catered toward R&B artists—the first artist signed to that imprint was
Oran "Juice" Jones, who enjoyed success with his hit single "
The Rain". A few years later, Russell Simmons and Lyor Cohen started an umbrella label called Rush Associated Labels to handle Def Jam and its numerous spinoff labels. RAL became the home to
Nice & Smooth and
EPMD
EPMD is an American hip hop duo from Brentwood, New York. The duo's name is a concatenation of the members' names "E" and "PMD" or an acronym for "Erick and Parrish Making Dollars", referring to its members: emcees Erick Sermon ("E" a.k.a. ...
after both acts were acquired due to the folding of their former label
Sleeping Bag Records
Sleeping Bag Records is a defunct New York City-based independent record label founded by musician Arthur Russell and entrepreneur Will Socolov. It was active between 1981 and 1992, and specialized in dance music and hip hop.
Background and ...
. Other acts under the RAL umbrella included
Redman,
Onyx,
Flatlinerz,
Domino,
Warren G
Warren Griffin III (born November 10, 1970) is an American rapper and producer known for his role in West Coast rap's 1990s ascent.Steve Huey"Warren G: Biography" ''AllMusic.com'', Netaktion LLC, visited May 8, 2020. Along with Snoop Dogg and ...
and
Jayo Felony. Def Jam also signed its first and only
thrash metal
Thrash metal (or simply thrash) is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music characterized by its overall aggression and often fast tempo.Kahn-Harris, Keith, ''Extreme Metal: Music and Culture on the Edge'', pp. 2–3, 9. Oxford: Berg, 2007, . ...
band,
Slayer, in 1986, and the band's
third
Third or 3rd may refer to:
Numbers
* 3rd, the ordinal form of the cardinal number 3
* , a fraction of one third
* 1⁄60 of a ''second'', or 1⁄3600 of a ''minute''
Places
* 3rd Street (disambiguation)
* Third Avenue (disambiguation)
* Hi ...
and
fourth albums were the only two Def Jam releases to be distributed through
Geffen Records via
Warner Bros. Records as opposed to Columbia/CBS. As the decade drew to a close, the label signed
Public Enemy, whose controversial lyrical content garnered the company both critical acclaim and disdain.
Lyor Cohen became president of Def Jam/RAL in 1988, after winning a power struggle with Rubin, who would shortly thereafter leave the company to form
Def American Recordings
American Recordings (formerly Def American Recordings) is an American record label headed by producer Rick Rubin. The label has featured artists such as Slayer, the Black Crowes, ZZ Top, Danzig, Trouble, Tom Petty, Johnny Cash, The Mother Hi ...
. Rubin would take
Slayer and the rights of its Def Jam albums with him to Def American in its initial stages.
In 1991, CBS Records was folded (or rather rebranded) to the
music division of Japanese electronic giant
Sony
, commonly stylized as SONY, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. As a major technology company, it operates as one of the world's largest manufacturers of consumer and professional ...
, bringing Def Jam and Columbia with it. By 1992, despite recent multiple
platinum
Platinum is a chemical element with the symbol Pt and atomic number 78. It is a dense, malleable, ductile, highly unreactive, precious, silverish-white transition metal. Its name originates from Spanish , a diminutive of "silver".
Pla ...
selling releases from
Public Enemy, and
EPMD
EPMD is an American hip hop duo from Brentwood, New York. The duo's name is a concatenation of the members' names "E" and "PMD" or an acronym for "Erick and Parrish Making Dollars", referring to its members: emcees Erick Sermon ("E" a.k.a. ...
, Def Jam ran into major financial troubles and was faced with folding while at Sony.
PolyGram era (1994–1998)
In 1994,
PolyGram purchased Sony's 50% stake in Def Jam Recordings—subsequently bringing the label into the
Island Records
Island Records is a multinational record label owned by Universal Music Group. It was founded in 1959 by Chris Blackwell, Graeme Goodall, and Leslie Kong in Jamaica, and was eventually sold to PolyGram in 1989. Island and A&M Records, anothe ...
fold. Island would share in sales and marketing duties with select radio projects while Def Jam remained independent on all other label functions (A&R, video, promotion and publicity). The label venture went on to receive huge success with a slew of various other multi-platinum releases from
Montell Jordan, Public Enemy, LL Cool J, Redman,
Method Man
Clifford Smith, Jr. (born March 2, 1971), better known by his stage name Method Man, is an American rapper, songwriter, record producer, and actor. He is known as a member of the East Coast hip hop collective Wu-Tang Clan. He is also half o ...
and more. RAL/Def Jam also distributed the
Violator Records-signed artist
Warren G
Warren Griffin III (born November 10, 1970) is an American rapper and producer known for his role in West Coast rap's 1990s ascent.Steve Huey"Warren G: Biography" ''AllMusic.com'', Netaktion LLC, visited May 8, 2020. Along with Snoop Dogg and ...
's debut album, ''
Regulate... G Funk Era'', which went triple platinum and brought much-needed revenue to Def Jam through its joint deal with Violator.
PolyGram acquired an additional 10% in Def Jam, further strengthening its ownership of the label. Shortly thereafter, Rush Associated Labels were renamed to the Def Jam Music Group. The label remained profitable as its veteran star LL Cool J released his successful album ''
Mr. Smith'' in 1995, a return to the rapper's original credibility following the fallback of his 1993 album, ''
14 Shots to the Dome
''14 Shots to the Dome'' is the fifth studio album by American hip hop recording artist LL Cool J. It was released on March 30, 1993 via Def Jam Recordings. Recording sessions took place at Marley's House Of Hits, at Cove City Sound Studios and a ...
''; his last album under the Def Jam/Columbia partnership. The label later signed
Foxy Brown, whose debut album, ''
Ill Na Na
''Ill Na Na'' is the debut studio album by American rapper Foxy Brown. It was released on November 19, 1996, by Def Jam Recordings. It was reissued on September 29, 1997, in the UK with an addition of the song "Big Bad Mamma". Brown began wor ...
'' (1996) became a platinum seller in 1997. Def Jam followed up with its then-new R&B act,
Case
Case or CASE may refer to:
Containers
* Case (goods), a package of related merchandise
* Cartridge case or casing, a firearm cartridge component
* Bookcase, a piece of furniture used to store books
* Briefcase or attaché case, a narrow box to ca ...
, whose
self-titled debut album (also in 1996), including the single, "
Touch Me, Tease Me", went gold.
In June 1997, Def Jam acquired 50% of
Roc-A-Fella Records
Roc-A-Fella Records was an American hip hop record label and music management company founded by record executives and entrepreneurs Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter, Damon "Dame" Dash, and Kareem "Biggs" Burke in 1994.
History
1994–2000: Formation ...
for an estimated $1.4 million, giving co-founders
Jay-Z and
Damon Dash part ownership of the label, while Def Jam maintained distribution and co-marketing.
In 1997, through Def Jam A&R
Irv Gotti, Def Jam signed
Ruff Ryders artist
DMX
Earl Simmons (December 18, 1970 – April 9, 2021), known professionally as DMX, was an American rapper and actor. He began rapping in the early 1990s and released his debut album ''It's Dark and Hell Is Hot'' in 1998, to both critical acclaim ...
. DMX's first studio album, ''
It's Dark and Hell is Hot
''It's Dark and Hell Is Hot'' is the debut album by American rapper DMX. It was released on May 12, 1998, by Def Jam Recordings and Ruff Ryders Entertainment. It was supported by four singles—"Get at Me Dog", "Stop Being Greedy", "Ruff Ryders ...
'' was released on May 12, 1998 and was co-executive produced by Irv Gotti. The album debuted and peaked at number 1 on the
Billboard Top 200 and sold over 250,000 copies in its first week. The album went on to sell four million copies in America, being certified Quadruple Platinum by the RIAA, and sold five million copies worldwide. The success of the album prompted Lyor Cohen to challenge DMX to record another album quickly to have another album released within the same calendar year. DMX's second studio album, ''
Flesh of My Flesh, Blood of My Blood'' was released on December 22, 1998 and debuted and peaked at number one the Billboard Top 200. The album sold over 670,000 units in its first week of release, and went on to sell over four million copies. DMX claimed that Def Jam made $144 million from the sales of his first two albums.
The Island Def Jam Music Group founding (1998–2000)
In 1998, PolyGram was purchased by
Universal Pictures
Universal Pictures (legally Universal City Studios LLC, also known as Universal Studios, or simply Universal; common metonym: Uni, and formerly named Universal Film Manufacturing Company and Universal-International Pictures Inc.) is an Americ ...
' former parent,
Seagram
The Seagram Company Ltd. (which traded as Seagram's) was a Canadian multinational conglomerate formerly headquartered in Montreal, Quebec. Originally a distiller of Canadian whisky based in Waterloo, Ontario, it was once (in the 1990s) the ...
, and later merged with the
MCA
MCA may refer to:
Astronomy
* Mars-crossing asteroid, an asteroid whose orbit crosses that of Mars
Aviation
* Minimum crossing altitude, a minimum obstacle crossing altitude for fixes on published airways
* Medium Combat Aircraft, a 5th gen ...
group of record labels. In early 1999, the label group was rebranded as the
Universal Music Group
Universal Music Group N.V. (often abbreviated as UMG and referred to as just Universal Music) is a Dutch–American multinational music corporation under Dutch law. UMG's corporate headquarters are located in Hilversum, Netherlands and its ...
. It then purchased the remaining interest of Def Jam Recordings from Russell Simmons for a reported $100 million. UMG merged over 14 record labels including Def Jam, Island, and
Mercury Records
Mercury Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group. It had significant success as an independent operation in the 1940s and 1950s. Smash Records and Fontana Records were sub labels of Mercury. In the United States, it ...
together to form
the Island Def Jam Music Group. Despite the formation of IDJMG, the Def Jam, Mercury, and Island labels continued to operate as separate imprints underneath the umbrella.
Lyor Cohen was appointed co-president of IDJMG, and
Kevin Liles
Kevin Liles (born February 27, 1968) is an American record executive and co-founder and CEO of 300 Entertainment. In 2020, Kevin was recognized by Billboard Magazine as R&B/Hip-Hop Executive of the Year for both his efforts in activism and the ...
succeeded him as president of Def Jam. In 1998, Def Jam created an
R&B spin-off label called Def Soul Records to run under the label's companionship. Def Jam inherited many of Island's urban artists, including
Dru Hill (including its lead singer
Sisqó),
the Isley Brothers (featuring
Ronald Isley) and
Kelly Price. Def Soul also issued recordings by
Musiq Soulchild, Montell Jordan,
Case
Case or CASE may refer to:
Containers
* Case (goods), a package of related merchandise
* Cartridge case or casing, a firearm cartridge component
* Bookcase, a piece of furniture used to store books
* Briefcase or attaché case, a narrow box to ca ...
,
112,
Patti LaBelle
Patricia Louise Holte (born May 24, 1944), known professionally as Patti LaBelle, is an American R&B singer, actress and businesswoman.
LaBelle is referred to as the " Godmother of Soul".
She began her career in the early 1960s as lead singe ...
, and
Christina Milian. Liles also assumed presidency of Def Soul, which also formed a Classics subsidiary (active from 2003 to 2011). Island's
4th & B'way Records was also folded into Def Jam.
Also in 1999, the label began to distribute releases by
Murder Inc. Records, the newly-founded label run by former Def Jam A&R executive and record producer
Irv Gotti. The label's roster of artists would include
Ja Rule,
Ashanti and
Lloyd
Lloyd, Lloyd's, or Lloyds may refer to:
People
* Lloyd (name), a variation of the Welsh word ' or ', which means "grey" or "brown"
** List of people with given name Lloyd
** List of people with surname Lloyd
* Lloyd (singer) (born 1986), America ...
, among others. The first release from Murder Inc. Records under Def Jam was Ja Rule's debut studio album, ''
Venni Vetti Vecci''. The album, released June 1, 1999, peaked in the top 3 on the
Billboard Top 200 and was certified platinum in America. On October 10, 2000, Def Jam and Murder Inc. released Ja Rule's second studio album, ''
Rule 3:36''. Anchored by the success of the lead single ''
Between Me and You'', the album debuted at number one on the Billboard top 200 and going on to be certified triple platinum in America.
The following year, it launched another subsidiary,
Def Jam South
Def Jam South was the music division of Def Jam Recordings. The label focused primarily on southern acts. It was best known for launching the career of Ludacris and his own imprint, Disturbing tha Peace. In 2004, following the signing of Young ...
, which focused on
Southern rap and distributed releases from labels such as
Disturbing tha Peace, whose artist roster included its co-founder
Ludacris,
Chingy,
Shawnna,
Bobby Valentino and
Playaz Circle
Playaz Circle is an American hip hop duo signed to the Def Jam Recordings
Def Jam Recordings (also simply known as Def Jam) is an American multinational record label owned by Universal Music Group. It is based in Manhattan, New York City, ...
. Russell Simmons tapped
Houston
Houston (; ) is the most populous city in Texas, the most populous city in the Southern United States, the fourth-most populous city in the United States, and the sixth-most populous city in North America, with a population of 2,304,580 ...
hip hop legend and former
Rap-A-Lot
Rap-A-Lot is a hip hop record label co-founded by James Prince and Cliff Blodget in 1986. Smoke-a-Lot Records is a subsidiary.
Rap-A-Lot was first distributed by A&M Records with the release of Raheem's 1988 debut ''The Vigilante''. The label w ...
recording artist
Scarface as the original head of Def Jam South.
2000s
In 2000, The Island Def Jam Music Group announced the formation of Def Jam Germany, the first international Def Jam company. This increased the label's presence around the world. Def Jam Germany signed German rappers Spezializtz and Philly MC. The label was located in Berlin and opened on May 23, 2000. In addition to signing and marketing local artists, Def Jam Germany also marketed all U.S. signed Def Jam artists in the German territory. But the German division folded just two years later in 2002. Many of the artists were picked up by Universal/Urban, while others did not get a new contract.
The second international label is a Japanese branch, , also founded in 2000. The label was later rebranded as Def Jam Recordings; however, it is sometimes still referred to as Def Jam Japan. Their artist roster has included Japanese-American singer
Ai,
Teriyaki Boyz
Teriyaki Boyz are a Japanese hip hop group from Yokohama, Japan.
History
The group consists of Ilmari and Ryo-Z from Rip Slyme, Verbal from M-Flo, rapper Wise and Nigo, the DJ and founder of the popular Japanese streetwear brand A Bathin ...
,
AK-69
AK-69, also known as Kalassy Nikoff (エーケーシックスティーナイン/カラシニコフ) is a Japanese Hip Hop artist from Komaki, Aichi. As a rapper, AK-69 uses his stage name; while singing, he is usually known as "Kalassy Nikoff. ...
, Nitro Microphone Underground, and South Korean boy band
BTS.
In January 2003, Murder Inc. became the center of a
money laundering
Money laundering is the process of concealing the origin of money, obtained from illicit activities such as drug trafficking, corruption, embezzlement or gambling, by converting it into a legitimate source. It is a crime in many jurisdicti ...
investigation involving illegal profits from
drug trading, leading to the label's eventual release from its distribution contract by 2005. Def Jam also blocked Murder Inc. and
TVT Records
TVT Records (Tee-Vee Tunes) was an American record label founded by Steve Gottlieb. Over the course of its 24-year history, the label released 25 Gold, Platinum and Multi-Platinum releases. Its roster included Nine Inch Nails, Ja Rule, Lil Jon, ...
from releasing a Cash Money Click reunion album, due to Ja Rule's contractual obligations, which alleged that Cohen paid Ja and Irv Gotti $8 million not to submit the project to TVT, but instead to parent company Universal. This resulted in TVT suing Def Jam, alleging infringement, fraud and tortious interference, winning $132 million in a judgment, but was later reduced to $126,000 after Universal and Def Jam appealed the ruling, claiming that the existence of an agreement between the parties meant that their behavior was only a breach of contract and not fraud.
The final shares of Roc-A-Fella Records were sold to Island Def Jam in 2004 for $10 million. By that time, Roc-A-Fella and Def Jam had launched the career of rapper-producer
Kanye West
Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and fashion designer.
Born in Atlanta and raised in Chicago, West gained recognition as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records in the ea ...
. His debut, ''
The College Dropout
''The College Dropout'' is the debut studio album by American rapper and producer Kanye West. It was released on February 10, 2004, by Def Jam Recordings and Jay-Z's Roc-A-Fella Records. In the years leading up to release, West had received p ...
'', went on to sell over two million copies. Co-founder Damon Dash and
Kareem "Biggs" Burke were forced out of the label as Cohen left IDJMG for
Warner Music Group, and was replaced by music executive
Antonio "L.A." Reid. Frustrated, Liles and now-chairwoman of
Atlantic Records
Atlantic Recording Corporation (simply known as Atlantic Records) is an American record label founded in October 1947 by Ahmet Ertegun and Herb Abramson. Over its first 20 years of operation, Atlantic earned a reputation as one of the most im ...
,
Julie Greenwald
Julie Greenwald is an American music industry executive. She is the chairperson and CEO of the Atlantic Music Group. Early life
Julie Greenwald was born in the Catskill Mountains in New York. She graduated from Tulane University in 1992 with ...
(who had been a part of the Def Jam staff since 1990) eventually decided to follow Cohen to Warner.
[Ogunnaike, Lola (August 28, 2005).]
Jay-Z, From Superstar to Suit
. ''The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
''. Retrieved March 23, 2008. A bidding war for Jay-Z's contract began, and Reid appointed Jay-Z president of Def Jam on December 8, 2004.
Long time label veterans LL Cool J and
DMX
Earl Simmons (December 18, 1970 – April 9, 2021), known professionally as DMX, was an American rapper and actor. He began rapping in the early 1990s and released his debut album ''It's Dark and Hell Is Hot'' in 1998, to both critical acclaim ...
(the latter of whom had five number one albums under the label within a five-year gap between 1998 and 2003), as well as new signee
Joe Budden expressed discomfort with Jay-Z's leadership of the label, having altogether left the label since then.
Under Jay-Z's leadership, Def Jam launched the successful careers of contemporary R&B singers
Rihanna
Robyn Rihanna Fenty ( ; born February 20, 1988) is a Barbadian singer, actress, and businesswoman. Born in Saint Michael and raised in Bridgetown, Barbados, Rihanna auditioned for American record producer Evan Rogers who invited her to th ...
and
Ne-Yo. At the end of 2007, after he released
''American Gangster'', Jay-Z decided not to renew his contract as the president and CEO of Def Jam in order to start his new
Live Nation venture,
Roc Nation. Following Jay-Z's departure, L.A. Reid took over leadership of the label, as opposed to hiring a replacement. In June 2008,
Shakir Stewart
Shakir Stewart (April 12, 1974 – November 1, 2008), a native of Oakland, California, was a US record executive in a number of companies, the latest being Def Jam. At the time of his death he was the Senior Vice President of Island Def Jam Mu ...
was appointed as the executive vice president of Def Jam, a position that was previously left vacant since December 2007. However, on November 1, Stewart committed suicide, vacating the position again. Stewart was responsible for helping to sign
Young Jeezy to the label in 2004.
2010s
In March 2011, it was announced that former
Warner Bros. Records executive
Joie Manda
Joie Manda is an American music executive and the Founder & CEO of Encore Recordings. He's previously held executive positions with Interscope Geffen A&M Records, Def Jam Recordings, Warner Music Group, Universal Music Group, and Asylum Records.
...
would become the first president of Def Jam since
Jay-Z. Around the summer of 2011, after Universal Music disbanded the
Universal Motown Republic Group,
Motown Records
Motown Records is an American record label owned by the Universal Music Group. It was founded by Berry Gordy Jr. as Tamla Records on June 7, 1958, and incorporated as Motown Record Corporation on April 14, 1960. Its name, a portmanteau of ''mot ...
would be moved under the Island Def Jam umbrella. In 2012, Manda assumed the position of president until March 2013 when he exited his post. It was later announced by his former boss, Barry Weiss, that he would be in charge of the urban division at Def Jam's sister Universal Music label,
Interscope Records.
The-Dream served as Def Jam's executive vice president of
A&R at Def Jam between 2012 and 2014.
No I.D. held the position of executive vice president after helping to establish
GOOD Music with Kanye West. He later became the executive vice president of the urban division at Def Jam's sister Universal label,
Capitol Music Group.
On April 1, 2014, it was announced that the Island Def Jam Music Group would no longer be active following the resignation of CEO Barry Weiss. A press release serviced by Universal Music Group stated that IDJMG, and all of its assets would be reorganized into Def Jam, Island and Motown, all as separate entities.
Def Jam Recordings currently operates as a stand-alone label within the Universal Music Group. Def Jam signed
DaniLeigh
Danielle Leigh Curiel (born December 20, 1994), known professionally as DaniLeigh, is an American singer, songwriter, rapper, dancer, and choreographer. Initially appearing as a backup dancer, Curiel began her career by posting covers of popul ...
to the label in early 2017. Steve Bartels served as president and CEO of Def Jam since 2013 until an announcement commenced on August 3, 2017, stating that in January 2018,
Eminem's manager and co-founder of
Shady Records
Shady Records is an American record label founded by rapper Eminem and his manager Paul Rosenberg, after the highly successful release of Eminem's ''The Slim Shady LP'' (1999).
Shady has seen negative times when being part of the unsuccessful ...
,
Paul Rosenberg would be appointed chairman and CEO of Def Jam.
On September 17, 2019, the launch of Def Jam South East Asia was announced at Music Matters, an annual music industry conference held in
Singapore
Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, bor ...
, where
Joe Flizzow from Malaysia,
Daboyway
Prinya Intachai th, ปริญญา อินทชัย, better known as Daboyway is an American-born Thai rapper, songwriter, producer and actor. He gained recognition through the early days formation of ‘ Thaitanium’ with his two frie ...
from Thailand, Yung Raja, Fariz Jabba and
Alif from Singapore and A. Nayaka from Indonesia were announced as the label's six inaugural signings. That same month, Def Jam re-signed LL Cool J and DMX after nine and fourteen respective years apart from the label.
In late 2019, the label made its debut in the Philippines through Universal Music Group's local subsidiary
MCA Music, led by former Sony Music Philippines and Sindikato Management executive Enzo Valdez. Pinoy hip hop quartet VVS Collective was the label's first signed artists.
2020s
On February 21, 2020, Paul Rosenberg stepped down on his position as CEO of Def Jam. He was replaced by the head of business affairs at Universal Music, Jeffrey Harleston, who instead assumed interim control over the label. That November, Def Jam teamed up with Alex and Alec Boateng to create a new UK spin-off label called 0207 Def Jam under Universal Music UK's EMI Records. The UK roster currently consists of
Stormzy
Michael Ebenezer Kwadjo Omari Owuo Jr. (born 26 July 1993), known professionally as Stormzy, is a British rapper, singer and songwriter. In 2014, he gained attention on the UK underground music scene through his ''Wicked Skengman'' series of f ...
. Def Jam also expanded to Africa with the creation of
Def Jam Africa
Def Jam Recordings Africa (marketed as Def Jam Africa), is the African division of the international record label Def Jam Recordings. The label is owned by Universal Music Africa, a flagship of Universal Music Group. Founded in 2020, and operatin ...
. In 2021, Harleston conference-called hip-hop legend
Snoop Dogg
Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr. (born October 20, 1971), known professionally as Snoop Dogg (previously Snoop Doggy Dogg and briefly Snoop Lion), is an American rapper. His fame dates back to 1992 when he featured on Dr. Dre's debut solo single, " ...
and named him the executive consultant of Def Jam. Snoop agreed to Harleston's request and took over the consultancy role in July. In August 2021, Harleston announced that he will replace himself as the interim president of Def Jam with former Interscope/
RCA executive and Keep Cool founder
Tunji Balogun
Tunji Balogun is a Nigerian American record label executive. He was a co-founder of Keep Cool, and is the CEO of Def Jam Recordings.
Career
Balogun began his career as a marketing intern at Warner Brothers Records and was hired as an assistant ...
, who agreed to take on the role as chairman and CEO, which he did on New Year's Day 2022.
Presidents
*
Lyor Cohen (1988–1998)
*
Kevin Liles
Kevin Liles (born February 27, 1968) is an American record executive and co-founder and CEO of 300 Entertainment. In 2020, Kevin was recognized by Billboard Magazine as R&B/Hip-Hop Executive of the Year for both his efforts in activism and the ...
(1998–2004)
*
Jay-Z (2005–2007)
*
L.A. Reid (2008–2012)
*
Joie Manda
Joie Manda is an American music executive and the Founder & CEO of Encore Recordings. He's previously held executive positions with Interscope Geffen A&M Records, Def Jam Recordings, Warner Music Group, Universal Music Group, and Asylum Records.
...
(2012–2013)
*Steve Bartels
(2013–2017)
*
Paul Rosenberg (2018–2020)
*Jeffrey Harleston
(acting, 2020–2022)
*
Tunji Balogun
Tunji Balogun is a Nigerian American record label executive. He was a co-founder of Keep Cool, and is the CEO of Def Jam Recordings.
Career
Balogun began his career as a marketing intern at Warner Brothers Records and was hired as an assistant ...
(2022–present)
Current artists
*
070 Shake
Danielle Balbuena (born June 13, 1997), better known by her stage name 070 Shake, is an American hip hop recording artist. 070 Shake is a part of the musical collective 070, who have released a mixtape together titled ''The 070 Project: Chapter ...
*
2 Chainz
*
Alessia Cara
Alessia Caracciolo (born July 11, 1996), known professionally as Alessia Cara (), is a Canadian singer-songwriter. Born in Mississauga, Ontario, to Italian Canadian parents, she began posting covers of songs on YouTube at age 13. After uploadi ...
*
Alif
*
Amir Obè
*
Benny the Butcher
*
Big Sean
Sean Michael Leonard Anderson (born March 25, 1988), known professionally as Big Sean, is an American rapper. Anderson began his music career in 2007 and gained popularity in 2010 with his third mixtape '' Finally Famous Vol. 3: Big''. He then s ...
*
Coco Jones
*
Daboyway
Prinya Intachai th, ปริญญา อินทชัย, better known as Daboyway is an American-born Thai rapper, songwriter, producer and actor. He gained recognition through the early days formation of ‘ Thaitanium’ with his two frie ...
*
Dave East
*
Fabolous
*
Fredo Bang
*
Hit-Boy
*
Jadakiss
*
Young Jeezy
*
Jeremih
*
Jhené Aiko
*
Justin Bieber
Justin Drew Bieber ( ; born March 1, 1994) is a Canadian singer. Bieber is recognized for his genre-melding musicianship and has played an influential role in modern-day popular music. He was discovered by American record executive Scooter ...
*
Kaash Paige
D'Kyla Paige Woolen (born January 8, 2001), known professionally as Kaash Paige (a backronym for Kill All Arrogance, Stop Hatred), is an American singer and songwriter from Dallas, Texas. She is signed to Se Lavi Productions and Def Jam Recordin ...
*
Krept and Konan
*
Lady Sovereign
*
LL Cool J
*
Muni Long
*
Nasty C
*
Public Enemy
*
Pusha T
*
Rihanna
Robyn Rihanna Fenty ( ; born February 20, 1988) is a Barbadian singer, actress, and businesswoman. Born in Saint Michael and raised in Bridgetown, Barbados, Rihanna auditioned for American record producer Evan Rogers who invited her to th ...
*
Snoop Dogg
Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr. (born October 20, 1971), known professionally as Snoop Dogg (previously Snoop Doggy Dogg and briefly Snoop Lion), is an American rapper. His fame dates back to 1992 when he featured on Dr. Dre's debut solo single, " ...
*
Teyana Taylor
*
Teezy (upcoming artist in 2023)
*
Toya Johnson
Antonia "Toya" Rushing ( Johnson; born October 26, 1983) is an American reality television personality.
Early life
Johnson was born in New Orleans, Louisiana. She is the second child of Anita Johnson and Walter Andrews.
Career
In 2009, Johns ...
*
YG
*
YK Osiris
*
Yung Joc
See also
* ''
Krush Groove''
*
Def Jam Recordings discography
This page lists a discography of albums and extended plays released under or distributed by Def Jam Recordings, a division of Universal Music Group, which had been created in 1984. Records distributed by another label, but released under Def Jam, ...
References
External links
Interview with Shakir Stewart, HitQuarters Nov 5
{{Authority control
American record labels
Companies based in New York City
Labels distributed by Universal Music Group
Contemporary R&B record labels
American hip hop record labels
Record labels established in 1983
Def Jam Recordings artists
Rick Rubin