Def Jam Recordings (also simply known as Def Jam or Def Jam Records) is an American multinational record label owned by Universal Music Group. It is based in Manhattan, New York City, specializing predominantly in hip-hop, contemporary R&B, soul and 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 Polydor Records. It has a Johannesburg, South Africa and Lagos, Nigeria-based arm known as Def Jam Africa.
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, and its first release was a single by his punk-rock group Hose. Russell 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 & Jazzy Jay's "It's Yours". The first releases with Def Jam Recordings catalog numbers were LL Cool J's "I Need a Beat" and the Beastie Boys' "Rock Hard", 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 after both acts were acquired due to the folding of their former label Sleeping Bag Records. Other acts under the RAL umbrella included Redman, Onyx, Flatlinerz, Domino, Warren G and Jayo Felony. Def Jam also signed its first and only thrash metal band, Slayer, in 1986, and the band's third 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. 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, bringing Def Jam and Columbia with it. By 1992, despite recent multiple platinum selling releases from Public Enemy, and EPMD, Def Jam ran into major financial troubles and was faced with folding while at Sony. That year, Kevin Liles was hired as an intern.
PolyGram era (1994–1998) In 1994, PolyGram purchased Sony's 50% stake in Def Jam Recordings—subsequently bringing the label into the Island Records 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 and more. RAL/Def Jam also distributed the Violator Records-signed artist Warren G'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% stake 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; his last album under the Def Jam/Columbia partnership. The label later signed Foxy Brown, whose debut album, Ill Na Na (1996) became a platinum seller in 1997. Def Jam followed up with its then-new R&B act, Case, 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 rapper Jay-Z's Roc-A-Fella Records for an estimated $1.4 million, giving founders Jay-Z and Damon Dash part ownership of the label, while Def Jam maintained distribution and co-marketing. That same year, through Def Jam A&R Irv Gotti, Def Jam signed artist DMX.
DMX's first studio album, It's Dark and Hell is Hot was released on May 12, 1998, and was co-executive produced by Irv Gotti. The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 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. On December 15, 1998, Def Jam released DJ Clue's debut album, The Professional, which saw guest appearances from Def Jam artists Jay-Z, Memphis Bleek, DMX, Redman, Ja Rule, and an appearance from later Def Jam artist Cam'ron. The album was certified platinum by the RIAA. The success of It's Dark and Hell is Hot prompted Lyor Cohen to challenge DMX to record another album quickly to have another album released within the same calendar year. Def Jam closed out 1998 with DMX's second studio album, Flesh of My Flesh, Blood of My Blood, released on December 22, 1998. The album debuted at number one the Billboard 200 with over 670,000 units in its first week of release, and went on to sell over four million copies worldwide. 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' former parent, Seagram. It later merged with the MCA group of record labels. In early 1999, the label group was rebranded as the Universal Music Group. 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 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 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, 112, Patti LaBelle, and Christina Milian. Liles also assumed presidency of Def Soul, which also formed a Classics subsidiary (active from 2003 to 2011). Def Soul would later be folded into Def Jam in May 2011. Island's 4th & B'way Records was also folded into Def Jam. Also starting in 1998, in preparation for the year 2000, Def Jam marketed and sponsored a new campaign titled Def Jam 2000. Def Jam 2000 was the featured name for Def Jam on Def Jam albums from 1998 until its end in December 2000.
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, among others. The first release from Murder Inc. under Def Jam was Ja Rule's debut studio album, Venni Vetti Vecci. The album, released on June 1, 1999, peaked at number three on the Billboard 200 and was certified platinum in America. It featured guest appearances from Jay-Z, Ron Isley, and DMX.
In December 1999, DMX released his third studio album, ...And Then There Was X through Def Jam. The album debuted atop the Billboard 200, with close to 700,000 copies sold, making it his third straight album to debut atop the charts. The album sold over 4.9 million copies to date, and has been certified five times platinum by the RIAA.
The following year, it launched another subsidiary, Def Jam South, which focused on Southern rap and distributed releases from labels such as Disturbing tha Peace, whose artist roster included its co-founder Ludacris, Shawnna, Bobby Valentino and Playaz Circle. Russell Simmons tapped Houston hip-hop legend and former Rap-A-Lot recording artist Scarface as the original head of Def Jam South.
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 single, "Between Me and You", the album topped the Billboard 200 and was certified triple platinum in the United States.
In 2000, Island Def Jam 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 new millennium saw Roc-A-Fella, Def Jam's subsidiary, begin to expand beyond one figurehead artist. Roc-A-Fella Records artists proved successful with the Jay-Z's The Dynasty: Roc La Familia (2000) and The Blueprint (2001), including the labels other signees gaining recognition with Beanie Sigel's The Truth and Memphis Bleek's The Understanding (both in 2000).
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. As of 2023, the Def Jam name in Japan is currently operative under Virgin Music Group for optional releases. Their artist roster has included Japanese-American singer Ai, Teriyaki Boyz, AK-69, Nitro Microphone Underground, and South Korean boy band BTS.
Ja Rule released his third studio album, Pain Is Love, on October 2, 2001, through Murder Inc./Def Jam. Pain Is Love topped the Billboard 200 with first-week sales of 361,000 copies and was certified triple platinum by the RIAA. The album was supported by the singles: "Down Ass Bitch", "Always on Time", and "Livin' It Up".