Universal Music Group has announced the launch of Def Jam India, a new label division within India and South Asia dedicated to representing the best hip-hop and rap talent from the region. According to the announcement, Def Jam India “will follow the blueprint of the Def Jam Recordings label.” The first flagship artist signings to join Def Jam India are rappers Dino James and Fotty Seven, who will release singles this month titled “Lost” and “Banjo,” respectively. The news follows the 2020 launch of Def Jam labels in Africa and Vietnam.
Since its founding by Rick Rubin and Russell Simmons in 1984, Def Jam has been one of the most important and influential labels of the past decades, with classic releases over the years from LL Cool J, the Beastie Boys, Public Enemy, Method Man, Ghostface, DMX, Ludacris, the Roots, Young Jeezy, Frank Ocean, Logic and, via a deal with Jay-Z’s Roc-A-Fella and Roc Nation labels, Jay, Kanye West, Rihanna and others.
Speaking on launch, Devraj Sanyal, Managing Director and CEO, Universal Music India & South Asia said, “The launch of Def Jam India could not come at a better time for music in India. Our domestic hip-hop and rap artists are rapidly growing into some of the most exciting talents in the region, taking their rightful space alongside mainstream national & regional pop, and what better home for those artists than Def Jam, the pioneering global home of hip-hop. Def Jam India will be infused and inspired by local street and rap culture, Indian sounds and unique multi-lingual flows, which will enable us to introduce new artists across the country and region, and beyond.”
Tunji Balogun, Chairman & CEO, Def Jam Recordings said, “We’re excited to welcome Def Jam India to the worldwide Def Jam family, following our recent launches in the U.K., Europe, Africa and Asia. Hip-hop reflects the pulse of global youth culture and chronicles new stories and voices in real time. Def Jam India will provide audiences worldwide the opportunity to discover and experience Indian hip-hop culture at its finest and introduce the next generation of cutting-edge artists emerging from the region.”
+ Primary Wave Music has entered into an agreement to market and administer the catalog of legendary American composer Henry Mancini. As part of the agreement, Primary Wave will now represent the late composer’s music publishing catalog as well as his name and likeness.
Considered to be one of the greatest composers in the history of film, Mancini won four Academy Awards (including two for the songs “Moon River” and “Days of Wine and Roses”), a Golden Globe, and an incredible twenty Grammy Awards over his unparalleled five decades long career.
Included in this agreement is music that encompasses some of Mancini’s most popular compositions, such as the Oscar-nominated songs “Charade” and “Dear Heart” and such themes as “The Music from Peter Gunn” — which in 1959 was the first album to win the Grammy for Album of the Year — and the indelible “Pink Panther Theme.”
+ The Academy of Country Music has made new hires across several departments. Lori Kraft has joined the staff as director of brand creative & design; Steve Mekler has joined as director of brand marketing & partnerships; Jennifer Davis has joined as manager of events; Rebecca Fisher has joined as manager of strategic partnerships; Jesse Knutson has joined as manager of publicity & media relations; and Kristan Pridgen has joined as executive assistant to CEO Damon Whiteside.
“With the ACM Awards just weeks away, there couldn’t be a better time to continue expanding our team with the additions of Lori, Steve, Jennifer, Becca, Jesse, and Kristan,” said Whiteside. “Every new member of our team is already making an impact and bringing a unique set of skills to the Academy. Their passion and enthusiasm will no doubt help the Academy reach new levels of success for our members and the country music community as a whole.”
+ Universal Music Group has named Richard Cusick chief product officer, global e-commerce. According to the announcement, in the newly created role, Cusick will build a product team charged with translating UMG’s business objectives into innovative products and experiences across E-Commerce, Web3.0 and direct artist and fan-focused initiatives. He will serve as a key liaison and partner between UMG’s executive management team and the engineering organization. Cusick will be based in Santa Monica and report to Richelle Parham, president of global e-commerce and business development.
Cusick’s experience in the music industry started at Gemstar-TV Guide (now Xperi), where he led business development and digital media. Cusick subsequently managed the entertainment and lifestyle properties at Yahoo!, including Yahoo! Music. Cusick led the acquisition of six companies that became Gracenote, a leading data provider to the entertainment industry. Until recently, he was an advisor to Audible Magic, a content-ID solution for social platforms such as SoundCloud, DailyMotion and Facebook.
Parham said, “To help our artists maximize their creative and commercial potential, UMG continues to expand our mission well beyond the typical boundaries of a traditional music business, particularly in the products, services and experiences that we’re able to provide. With Richard joining us in the newly created role of Chief Product Officer, we will accelerate our efforts to bring fans even closer to their favorite artists and music through expanded products and ‘always on’ experiences.”
+ Sony Music Publishing today announced the promotion of Alison Hook to senior vice president, sampling and copyright infringement, U.K. & international.
In her new role, Alison will oversee the company’s sampling and copyright infringement matters and further strengthen relationships with societies in the U.K. and internationally. In addition, Hook will continue modernizing the sampling process to ensure efficient royalty and credit processing. She is based in the company’s U.K. office and reports to co-managing directors David Ventura and Tim Major.
“Alison’s elevation within the company is pivotal in our relentless efforts to improve our service to songwriters. We all have seen the explosion of sampling activity in the last years, which has become key in how music is made by new music creators,” Ventura and Major said. “This new role is tailor made for Alison, who has never stopped protecting songwriters’ interests for the last two decades. Her experience, professionalism and fairness make her a one-of-a-kind senior executive and we are lucky to work with her.”
+ Indian pop singer Armaan Malik has partnered with Warner Music India to launch a new label, Always Music Global. The label will release, market and position Hindi pop music across the world.
As part of the partnership, Always Music Global will release Malik’s Hindi non-film music, while working with him on building IPs, backed by the infrastructure and extensive distribution network of Warner Music India. The deal is also an extension of WM India’s intention to expand its outstanding artist roster by identifying talent that can enable them to strengthen their position and reach.
Malik said, “I’m humbled and honored to embark on a new chapter of my career with this unique collaboration between my label Always Music Global and Warner Music India. Showcasing Indian pop music at a global level has been a long-running dream of mine, and I can’t wait to work towards fulfilling it. ”
Alfonso Perez-Soto, Warner Recorded Music’s president of emerging markets, added, “This is a landmark signing for Warner Music India. Armaan comes from a family of musicians and his music education ranges from Hindustani classical music to Berklee College of Music. He is a truly creative artist, who has enjoyed incredible success as a singer and actor. His songs already touch fans around the world and we’re excited to help build an even larger global audience for his incredible music.”