OVERVIEW
Founded in 1984, Def Jam Recordings has represented the cutting-edge in hip-hop music for more than 35 years. Def Jam began as a maverick independent label inspired by downtown New York City’s vibrant street culture and the emerging sound of hip-hop, pioneered by iconic stars like LL Cool J, Slick Rick, The Beastie Boys and Public Enemy. Over the following two decades, Def Jam established its dominance with superstar acts like Jay-Z, DMX, Ja Rule, Method Man & Redman, Ludacris, Rihanna, Jeezy, and Kanye West. Now in its fourth decade, Def Jam’s music and lifestyle has grown into a global brand – synonymous with creativity, quality and authenticity – encompassing a diverse roster of marquee and emerging stars like Pusha T, Big Sean, YG, 2 Chainz, Jhene Aiko, Muni Long, Benny The Butcher, Jadakiss, Jeremih, and Armani White, among others. Today, Def Jam is the most-followed major label on all major social media platforms, and has expanded to include labels in the UK, France, Africa, India and Southeast Asia.
