Who owns def jam record company

Not only does he bring a deep understanding and respect for the cultural significance of what Def Jam has created over the past four decades, but he also sees the boundless potential of what Def Jam can be to a new generation of artists and fans. Tunji has all the tools to take the Def Jam brand and artists to new levels of success. He has the vision. About Def Jam Recordings Def Jam Recordings has been at the forefront of hip-hop music and culture for more than 35 years.

Today, Def Jam has expanded its global brand reach to become the most-followed major label across all major social media platforms. About Universal Music Group Universal Music Group UMG is the world leader in music-based entertainment, with a broad array of businesses engaged in recorded music, music publishing, merchandising and audiovisual content in more than 60 countries.

Spotify to buy Ohio audiobooks firm, expanding audio ambitions. All Sections. About Us. B2B Publishing. Business Visionaries. Hot Property. Times Events. The crossover appeal of the Beastie Boys ' "Rock Hard" single the next year had the label on the right track. Those records proved to be the first to don a Def Jam logo and register a catalog number. That eventually paved a way towards a distribution deal with Columbia Records.

The classic LP saw Rubin's masterful production on every track. Def Jam was now officially on the map. The label made some risky moves to close out the decade. Def Jam didn't want to be boxed into hip-hop, as they were proven right by signing metal band Slayer. The band just recently announced a farewell tour, according to Stereogum. Later in the decade, a power struggle at the label's top began brewing. The clash between Cohen and Rubin eventually led to the latter leaving the company, while going ahead and starting his own label, originally called Def American Records.

Even though Def Jam saw successful releases from ONYX and EPMD to begin the '90s, the label found themselves in a financial crisis after spreading themselves too thin with separate endeavors under the same umbrella as Def Jam.

Prior to the label going bankrupt, PolyGram Records purchased 50 percent of Def Jam, and took control of distribution to save the label. Simmons kept his distance from the label, which was renamed Island Def Jam.

Three years later, Russell penned in his autobiography, Life And Def, "My life has largely been about promoting the anger, style, aggression and attitude of urban America to a worldwide audience. Murda Inc.