Jay-Z Named New President of Def Jam!!

[Leggy Hendrix]

After finally reaching a deal to sell the remaining portion of Roc-A-Fella Records to Island Def Jam for $10 million dollars, Jay-Z was named president of the legendary label founded by Rick Rubin and Russell Simmons in 1985.

"I have inherited two of the most important brands in hip-hop, Def Jam and Roc-A-Fella,” Jay-Z said. “LA Reid and the Universal Music Group have given me the opportunity to manage the companies I have contributed to my whole career. I feel this is a giant step for me and the entire artist community."

Simmons said that Jay-Z's appointment to president would help the Def Jam brand name in the marketplace.

“Jay-Z running the Def Jam label is going to be great,” Russell Simmons told AllHipHop.com. “I couldn’t be happier; this is a great honor for all of those who laid the groundwork for Def Jam. Jay’s involvement is a great thing for the Def Jam brand.”

Jay-Z will report directly to Antonio “LA” Reid and will continue to run Roc-A-Fella Records as part of the deal.

Reid acknowledged Jay-Z’s business acumen and his ten-year track record of running the Roc-A-Fella label.

“We are fortunate that he has agreed to take over as president & CEO of Def Jam Recordings,” Reid said. “I can think of no one more relevant and credible in the hip-hop community to build upon Def Jam's fantastic legacy and move the company into its next groundbreaking era."

The appointment is effective January 3, 2005, with Jay-Z operating out of Island Def Jam’s New York offices.




what y'all think about this?


i also just read somewhere that Cam'ron has been told he can leave the label...hes apparently no longer contractually obliged to do another 3 albums...

[Bramsterdam (see ya)]

Thats pretty cool, Im happy for him

[Don Rizzle]

so does that mean that r simmons is stepping down? or is he not pres

[Shallow]

I'm not sure what this means. I'm not discounting Jay's business sense but outside of clothing which did good for a small time company, but hardly changed the clothing world, and his own record sales, he hasn't done that much. Outside of Kanye, who just recently became something and may not last, who else became big from Roc a Fella? I can't think of anyone. Maybe Jay is good at balancing budgets and that's why he got upped, but he hasn't shown me anything as far as creating stars goes.

[BigBDrugStores]

I'm not sure what this means. I'm not discounting Jay's business sense but outside of clothing which did good for a small time company, but hardly changed the clothing world, and his own record sales, he hasn't done that much. Outside of Kanye, who just recently became something and may not last, who else became big from Roc a Fella? I can't think of anyone. Maybe Jay is good at balancing budgets and that's why he got upped, but he hasn't shown me anything as far as creating stars goes.

young gun blew up for a minute. and seigel is hot

[Shallow]

I'm not sure what this means. I'm not discounting Jay's business sense but outside of clothing which did good for a small time company, but hardly changed the clothing world, and his own record sales, he hasn't done that much. Outside of Kanye, who just recently became something and may not last, who else became big from Roc a Fella? I can't think of anyone. Maybe Jay is good at balancing budgets and that's why he got upped, but he hasn't shown me anything as far as creating stars goes.

young gun blew up for a minute. and seigel is hot

Seigel is hot on the streets, but so is Immortal Technique and Talib Kweli. Being hot on the streets and being hot in te record stores are two different things. Jay's new job means he's got to make make stars. This means artists that go multi platinum. I haven't seen too much of that on Roc A Fella.

[BigBDrugStores]

but really its about time thins happened. theyve been talking about it for awhile now

[Sikotic™]

Congrats to Jay.

[Smooth]

Props to Jay. that's big time...

[Trauma-san]

Jay Z finally takes his natural place @ the top of a record company. 

[Da WCC Hopar!]

Jay Z finally takes his natural place @ the top of a record company. 

yup even tho i dont like him that much

[T-Dogg]

Props to Jigga, a huge step up...

Someone explain to me what is Reid's & Simmons' role in Def Jam though? Are they owners or what?

[i love men who take pictures with their booty's out]

man how the fuck did this nigga sell his label to himself...lol jay-z is on 1...

props 4 him.... maybe he wont cry if another fight breaks out like scoopy dead....

thank u everybody god bless good night- russell simmons

[Kill]

nice, props to shawn

[BigBDrugStores]

Props to Jigga, a huge step up...

Someone explain to me what is Reid's & Simmons' role in Def Jam though? Are they owners or what?

i think that reid is top of isiland def jam jay is just incharge of def jam.  and simons is on the board of one of the two