Universal Music Group (UMG) has now expanded the Def Jam brand into Africa, with the launch of Def Jam Africa. Def Jam Recordings is an American record label focused predominantly on hip hop, pop, and urban music, owned by Universal Music Group.
The new label division is dedicated to representing “the best hip-hop, Afrobeats and trap talent in Africa, and will follow the blueprint of the iconic Def Jam Recordings label,” one of the most important hip-hop/R&B companies in history. It will initially be based in Johannesburg, South Africa and Lagos, Nigeria, but will identify and sign hip-hop, Afrobeats and trap talent from across the entire continent.
Def Jam Africa will be supported by dedicated A&R, marketing, creative and digital teams from the UMG teams in both Nigeria and South Africa and will report to Sipho Dlamini, MD, Universal Music Sub-Saharan Africa & South Africa.
At launch, the label’s roster includes Boity (South Africa), Cassper Nyovest (South Africa), Larry Gaaga (Nigeria) Nadia Nakai (South Africa), Nasty C (South Africa), Tshego (South Africa), Tellaman (South Africa), Ricky Tyler (South Africa) and Vector (Nigeria).
Earlier this year it was announced that South African rapper Nasty C will release his forthcoming album Zulu Man with Some Power in partnership with Def Jam Recordings in the US, during Summer, 2020.
Other forthcoming releases on Def Jam Africa include singles from: Ricky Tyler, Boity, Nasty C, Tellaman feat. Alpha P, Vector, Cassper Nyovest and Tshego.
