In 2018, Balogun did launch Keep Cool, an LA-based record label under RCA. He’s risen through the major record labels ranks at RCA, Interscope, and Warner. First, Def Jam will be his full-time job. Will Def Jam prioritize revenue-generating acts (regardless of genre), or focus on a particular sound? In the past few years, its biggest acts have been Kanye West, Justin Bieber, and Logic. But since the 2000s, each CEO has taken a different turn. Outside of music, Def Jam was still known for dope apparel and memorable video games. Def Jam was once synonymous with New York hip-hop. The last three Def Jam CEOs were white men. That’s been the underlying focus for # TheShowMustBePaused and the Black Music Action Coalition. After George Floyd’s murder, the major record labels committed to hire and promote Black execs. Def Jam is the best chance that past artists have. Birdman is never letting Cash Money go and isn’t the type to hire advisors. The two most iconic labels in hip-hop history are Def Jam and Cash Money. Jeezy might have low key wanted it at one point, which may have led to his recent consultant role. DJ Khaled likely wanted it after he was named president of Def Jam South.

Ever since Jay Z served as Def Jam CEO from 2004 to 2007, hip-hop’s big names have eyed the position. Consider hip-hop’s big names who wanted in. Def Jam needed a CEO whose main job is CEO of Def Jam. During Rosenberg’s tenure, the label did not breed new stars, Def Jam’s 2019 Rap Camp came and went, and it didn’t lean into trends like drill. But Paul spent a lot of that time focused on Em, who dropped 2 albums, went on tour, and had a big rollout for Slim Shady LP’s 20th anniversary. Eminem’s manager led Def Jam from January 2018 to February 2020. Here are the things Def Jam and UMG had to address with this hire: In a January 2021 webinar, Cabbages’ Gary Suarez and I did a deep dive on Def Jam’s Past, Present, and Future. The move is effective January 1, 2022.īig move for UMG. Last week, Universal Music Group announced that Def Jam Recordings’ new CEO and Chairman will be Tunji Balogun, who currently serves as EVP A&R at RCA.

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