2. Def Jam Records
• Overview: Def Jam Recordings is an American record label,
focused mainly on hip hop and urban music, it is owned by Universal
Music Group, and operates as a part of The Island Def Jam Music
Group. In the UK, the label takes on the name Def Jam UK and is
operated through Virgin EMI.
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CEO - Barry Weiss
Founded - 1984, New York City, New York, United States
Founders - Russell Simmons, Rick Rubin
Parent Company - Universal Music Group, Island Def Jam
Music Group
3. Current Artists
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2 Chainz
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Big Boi
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Big K.R.I.T.
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Big Sean
Cyhi Da Prynce •
Elijah Blake
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Fabolous
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Frank Ocean
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Gunplay
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Jadakiss
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Jeezy
Jeremih
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Jhené Aiko
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Juelz Santana
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Kanye West
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Logic
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Ludacris
Method Man
Nas
Pusha T
Q-Tip
Redman
Rick Ross
Rihanna
Teyana Taylor
The Roots
The-Dream
Trinidad Jame$
Vince Staples
YG
4. Brief History of Def Jam
Records
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Def Jam was founded by Rick
Rubin in his dorm room 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 by Vincent Gallo
From then on it has been quite a
successful run for Simmons and Def
Jam Records. They have signed
dozens of artists and have created
numerous other record labels that
stemmed from Def Jam like Def
Jam South, Def Jam Island, The
Inc., and Disturbing tha Peace.
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They now have an array of artists and
talents from Jay-Z to Nas to the
Murder Inc. Family, and Ludacris and
all of his rappers in Disturbing tha
Peace. Russell Simmons has made
Def Jam into a empire that branches
out into clothing (Phat Farm) , movie
production, TV shows (Def Comedy
Jam), and Simmons has even moved
a live show on Broadway called "Def
Jam Poetry". Simmons has sold his
share of Def Jam and Phat Farm and
is estimated to be worth over 500
million dollars. Although he may not
own Def Jam he helped build and
maintain it and to build and maintain
the rap culture we have today.
