Island
DefJam, one of the four umbrella units for Universal’s dozens of record
labels, is no more as of yesterday (April 1) following the resignation
of CEO Barry Weiss. Universal Music Group is “dissolving” the Island Def
Jam Music Group, a combination of Def Jam, Motown and Island that was
established back in 2009. Def Jam is
home to Kanye West, Rihanna, 2 Chainz, August Alsina and Elijah Blake;
Island’s roster includes Justin Bieber and Ariana Grande while Motown
claims its rich history in addition to modern R&B and gospel acts.
The
parent company, the Universal Music Group, has pulled a number of its
subsidiary’s apart to create standalone imprints. This means Def Jam,
Island and Motown, will operate as stand-alone labels within the UMG
family, with some changes in their leadership and operations.
In making the announcement, UMG Chairman/CEO LUCIAN GRAINGE said, “UMG is a collection of some of the greatest record labels the industry has ever seen. At the heart of these great companies is the vision and creative instincts of a team of passionate professionals. At UMG, our labels are empowered to be entrepreneurial and take creative risks. By re-establishing DEF JAM, ISLAND and MOTOWN as stand-alone labels within the UMG family, we’re positioning them to recapture the uniqueness of their brands and serve artists with the singularity of vision, focus and creativity that was at the core of their original success.”
Image: Barry Weiss
Barry Weiss, the head of Island Def Jam, will be stepping down from the company and Motown will be moving from New York to Los Angeles, with SVP Ethiopia Habtemariam becoming the new president. Def Jam’s former president Steve Bartels will become the CEO, with David Massey still being the head of Island. No I.D. and Kyambo “Hip Hop” Joshua have been named as executive vice presidents and co-heads of A&R for the label.
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