Def Jam

10 Stories

Kanye Claims Donda Release Was Unauthorized

That's 'preposterous,' Universal insiders say

(Newser) - The long-delayed Kanye West album Donda broke streaming records after its release Sunday morning—but West says he never signed off on the release, Pitchfork reports. "Universal put my album out without my approval and they blocked Jail 2 from being on the album," he said in an...

$5M Suit: Simmons Knocked Me Down, Then 'Pounced'

Filmmaker Jennifer Jarosik says music mogul raped her at his LA home in 2016

(Newser) - At least a dozen women have already lobbed sexual harassment and rape allegations against music mogul Russell Simmons, and now another has come forward with her own sexual assault story—and she's suing. NBC News reports documentary filmmaker Jennifer Jarosik is seeking $5 million in damages from an assault...

The Crazy Cost of Creating a Pop Song

Flops like Rihanna's 'Man Down' cost about the same as hits like 'S&M'

(Newser) - Have you ever wondered what makes one pop song a hit and another a flop? The answer isn't money, reports NPR’s All Things Considered, which calculated the cost of writing, producing, and marketing "Man Down," a track from Rihanna’s latest CD, Loud. It’s currently...

Third Time's a Charm for Jay-Z, Rap's Cash King

Mogul discusses business, music as release approaches

(Newser) - As he comes full circle with the Sept. 11 release of The Blueprint 3, exactly 8 years after the original Blueprint, Jay-Z discusses his journey from the projects of Brooklyn to the top of Forbes’ Hip-Hop Cash King list with Billboard. “We—Usher, Justin Timberlake, Beyoncé, myself—are becoming...

Jay-Z Close to Sony Deal— or Maybe Warner

Conflicting reports leave it unclear where former Def Jam artist will move

(Newser) - Following his departure from Def Jam, Jay-Z is close to making a deal with a new label—the question is, which one? Sources tell Billboard a deal with Sony’s Epic Records “is 95% complete,” while the New York Daily News reports a deal with Warner Music Group/Atlantic...

Jay-Z Leaves Def Jam
 Jay-Z 
 Leaves 
 Def Jam 
May 21, 2009 3:53 PM CDT

Jay-Z Leaves Def Jam

(Newser) - Jay-Z confirmed to RapRadar today that he has left Def Jam Records after more than a decade. The news follows an unconfirmed report on HitsDailyDouble that the rapper bought out his contract for $5 million. Jay-Z, 39, owed Def Jam one more album, but he was eager to move on...

Def Jam Exec Dead in Apparent Suicide

Shakir Stewart took the helm of Def Jam Records in June

(Newser) - Shakir Stewart, who took over at Def Jam Records when Jay-Z stepped down in June, was found dead yesterday, Billboard reports. The rap executive apparently committed suicide, though few details are available. Stewart had signed artists such as Rick Ross, Young Jeezy, and Karina Pasian to his label, and in...

Simmons Bangs Drum for Black Entrepreneurs
Simmons Bangs Drum
for Black Entrepreneurs
Glossies
Oct 18, 2008 10:20 AM CDT

Simmons Bangs Drum for Black Entrepreneurs

Russell Simmons thrives during market mayhem

(Newser) - For the "Godfather of Hip-Hop," success on the streets is like winning in business: It's "all about believing in your vision," Def Jam co-founder Russell Simmons tells the Economist. Now the music-mogul-turned-financier is trying to inspire go-getters with a new bestseller, Do You!—which...

Jay-Z to Sign Record $150M Deal

Live Nation deal sign of industry upheaval

(Newser) - Rapper Jay-Z is about to decamp from record label Def Jam and sign a $150 million deal with concert promoter Live Nation, reports the New York Times. The deal, Live Nation's biggest to date, will give the superstar financial backing for tours, his own record label and other related ventures...

Jay-Z Leaves Def Jam Post
Jay-Z Leaves Def Jam Post
Dec 24, 2007 7:15 PM CST

Jay-Z Leaves Def Jam Post

He will step down as president but continue as rapper

(Newser) - Hip-hop mogul Jay-Z is stepping down as president of Def Jam Records at the end of the year. The busy rapper is leaving on good terms after two years, a span in which he signed new stars such as Ne-Yo and Rihanna, E! Online reports. Jay-Z, whose American Gangster CD...

10 Stories