Defiant Records is a joint venture record label formed in 2023 between Warner Records and Steven "Steve-O" Carless, President of A&R at Warner Records. It focuses on genres such as hip-hop, R&B soul, dancehall, jersey club and drill.
The label was launched with Warner in September 2023 by Carless, an award-winning executive who was previously worked at Atlantic Records, Def Jam Recordings, Republic Records, and Uptown Records. He has worked on projects with artists Pusha-T, Big Sean, YG, 2 Chainz, Nipsey Hussle, and Polo G.
The label boasts newcomers Sha Ek, Groovy, DJ Sliink and MCvertt who was also nominated for a grammy in 2023.
Discography
Mixtapes
+ List of mixtapes with selected details Title Details Peak chart positionsUS Face of the What Release date: September 3, 2022 (US) Label: Warner/Defiant Format: Digital download189Return of the Jiggy Release date: December 9, 2022 Label: Warner/Defiant] Format: Digital download—
Albums Artist(s) Title Type Release date Singles Chart positions Certifications . Bandmanrill "Club Godfather" Album October 28, 2022 colspan="3" rowspan="10" Sha EK "Defiant Presents: COE" August 18, 2023Album of The Year Sha EK " Defiant Presents: Jiggy In Jersey" August 11, 2023 Sha EK " Defiant Presents: Most Dangerous" March 17, 2023 DJ Sliink "Defiant Presents: Bricks In The 6, DJ SLiink" September 8, 2023 Bandmanrill "Defiant Presents: President OBandman, Bandmanrill & MCVertt" April 14, 2023 Teejay "I Am Chippy" February 2, 2024 Groovy "Crying In The Club" May 24, 2024 Sha EK "Defiant Presents: Chain Gang Vol 1" February 26, 2025
Highlights Hot 97 Summer Jam (2023 In 2023, the label launched its first ever branded festival with WQHT Hot 97’s Summer Jam Stage featuring NLE Choppa, French Montana, Scar Lip, Sha EK, Bandmanrill, Kenzo B and MCVertt.
Defiant Partners With Vybz Kartel In 2024, following the overturning of his 2014 conviction and subsequent release from prison, Jamaican dancehall artist Vybz Kartel partnered with Defiant Records, founded by Carless. Kartel's single "Pretty Girl," produced by Now or Never Miami and directed by Rizzy, marked his first release under this new arrangement with Defiant Records.
Chart Positions Number #1 Billboard's Heatseekers Album for Sha EK "Face of The What" 2022
Number #2 Billboard's Dance/Electronic Digital Song for DJ Sliink & Bandmanrill "Real Hips 2" single 2023
Number #3 Billboard's Rap/Hip-Hop Digital Song for MCvertt's "Face Down" ft Sexyy Red & Asap Ferg single
Number #27 Billboard's Tik Tok Top 50 Chart MCvertt "Face Down" ft Sexyy Red & Asap Ferg
Number #1 Most Added Record for Groovy's "Jersey Luv" at Urban AC radio chart
Singles
+ List of singles as a lead artist with selected details Title Year Album "D&D" 2020 Face of the What "We Droppin'" 2022 “It’s About Time. 2023 Crank Dat Too Oppy 2023 Shot in the Party 2023
References