What to expect from Joie Manda’s Def Jam

By Hardcore Critic
Hip Hop Vibe Staff Writer

Ups and downs are expected if one spends enough time alive on Earth. As far as businesses go, only a select few stand the test of time. With things changing frequently, often change is required in order for companies to remain relevant. Change is what led to the birth of Def Jam. Contrary to popular belief, Def Jam was not the first hip hop record label. Other hip hop record label existed, but they were run by older people, Def Jam was run by a young Russell Simmons.

Russell Simmons founded Def Jam in 1984 and remained in charge until the mid-1990s before selling the label. Def Jam struggled in the early 1990s, before a new wave lifted the label to new, unexpected heights. The Def Jam surge ran well into the 2000s, with Jay-Z, a popular rapper on the label, eventually taking over as head of the label. Under his watch, Rihanna, Young Jeezy, Ne-Yo, and Rick Ross all debuted to much success.

Jay-Z decided to leave his post at Def Jam and also negotiated to end his run as an artist with the label late in 2007. Since Jay-Z’s departure, Def Jam has fallen to pieces with label mainstays leaving, even Ne-Yo. Rick Ross has a partnership with Warner Bros. Records and is renegotiating his own deal with Def Jam. Things have been looking bleak for some time and Irv Gotti, the executive who helped save the sinking ship in the 1990s, have begged for someone to do something. The powers that be finally decided to do something and now Joie Manda, a former executive at Warner Music Group, has been given the job.

Warner Music Group decided to relaunch Asylum Records, in 2004, as a hip hop record label. Joie Manda was put in charge of the label, which released new music from many artists. Among the artists signed to the new Asylum Records was Mike Jones, Cam’ron and his group, The Diplomats, 8Ball & MJG, Cee-Lo, Three Six Mafia, and many other Southern-based hip hop artists. But, from 2005 until 2007, the Southern hip hop game was dominated by the Asylum Records artists. Joie Manda eventually took a role with Asylum’s distributor, Warner Bros. Records, where he assisted Rick Ross in the Maybach Music/Warner Bros. partnership.

Now, Joie Manda will be negotiating with Rick Ross, once again. Joie Manda has proven a knack for breaking Southern hip hop artists, but Def Jam is a New York-based outfit. However, Manda was one of the people responsible for MMG’s success, which has been based on the crew releasing albums as announced. Def Jam, previously, has had issues with this, as Young Jeezy’s TM103 was looking like it would never be released. With Joie Manda in charge, it seems likely the artists who have been waiting to release new albums will end up releasing this new music.

Def Jam has a South division and it may receive more attention, as Joie Manda has an ongoing relationship with the South. But, getting someone back in the executive chair at Def Jam is the first step in the right direction for the label.