Def Jam
Def Jam is a hip-hop record label founded in 1984 by Rick Rubin and Russell Simmons with artists like LL Cool J, Run DMC and The Beastie Boys. Rubin left the company in 1989 to form Def American. Over the years Polygram acquired a 60% stake in the company and in 1998 it became part of Universal Music. It was recently merged by owner Universal Music with Island Records to form Island Def Jam Records.
Roc-a-Fella Records and Murder Inc. Records are among the independent labels distributed by Def Jam.
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Def Jam artists
Def Jam
- Run DMC
- LL Cool J
- Public Enemy
- Beastie Boys
- Method Man
- Slick Rick
- WC
- Redman
- Foxy Brown
- DMX
- Capone-N-Noreaga (also known as C-N-N)
- Ghostface Killah
- Joe Budden
- Shyne
- Young Jeezy
- Fam-Lay
- Comp
Def Jam South
- Southern hip hop imprint