Def Jam comes to Africa to ‘invest in talent’

Hip-hop and rap music lovers will know that Def Jam Recordings is the biggest and best-known producer of hip-hop.

The company brought musicians like Tupac, Biggie Smalls, LL Kool J, Kanye and many others to the world’s attention.

Now the franchise has come to Africa via Universial Music, which is launching Def Jam Africa.

South African rapper Nadia Nakai is on their initial roster of nine artists – seven of those are from South Africa and two from Nigeria.

She told BBC Focus on Africa what it was like being part of the new record label:Quote Message: It feels amazing… because I grew up watching music videos that had that Def Jam logo at the end. It felt like it was the fraternity of hip hop.

It feels amazing… because I grew up watching music videos that had that Def Jam logo at the end. It felt like it was the fraternity of hip hop.Quote Message: [My inclusion] creates a legacy. I think that people need to be inspired to know that good things come to those who work hard for it. That’s what I bring to the label.”

[My inclusion] creates a legacy. I think that people need to be inspired to know that good things come to those who work hard for it. That’s what I bring to the label.”

Other artists on the label include South Africa’s Cassper Nyovest, Nasty C, Tshego and Boity and Nigerian acts Larry Gaaga and Vector.

Sipho Dlamini, Universal Music’s director for sub-Saharan Africa said that the company was “dedicating resources to developing talent on the continent”.

He denied that the move was a cynical way to cash in on the hard work that African labels had been doing:Quote Message: Universal Music has the experience and the success to be able to invest in places where other labels may not be able to invest in.”

Universal Music has the experience and the success to be able to invest in places where other labels may not be able to invest in.”