The New Soul of R&B Flavor The Island Def Jam Music Group a Universal Music company
Parent company
Universal Music Group
Founded
1996; 28 years ago (1996)
Founder
Russell Simmons
Kevin Liles
Defunct
2011 (2011)
Status
Folded
Distributor(s)
Def Jam Recordings (United States)
Mercury Records (United Kingdom)
Universal Music Group (International)
Universal Music Enterprises (reissues)
Genre
Contemporary R&B
soul
neo soul
Country of origin
United States
Location
New York City, New York
Official website
Archived 22 April 2003 at the Wayback Machine
Def Soul Records was an R&B-based division of American multinational record label Def Jam Recordings. It was formed in 1996 by Russell Simmons and Kevin Liles to expand R&B and soul music through Def Jam's said genre-related roster following the successes of Montell Jordan and Case.
The label later garnered more success with other artists that include Musiq Soulchild, Kelly Price, Christina Milian, Aaron Soul, Terri Walker, Dru Hill, 112, Patti LaBelle and The Isley Brothers.[1] In the spring of 2011, the label was consolidated into Def Jam, as the urban music industry began to change, so did the Def Jam label roster's multi-genre strategy, citing former artist Rihanna's success as the reason for the downfall of Def Soul.[citation needed]
^"DAR Music: The Def Soul R&B Era". Retrieved 9 April 2022.
DefSoul Records was an R&B-based division of American multinational record label Def Jam Recordings. It was formed in 1996 by Russell Simmons and Kevin...
predominantly in hip hop, contemporary R&B, soul and pop. The label has a London-based, UK arm known as 0207 Def Jam (formerly Def Jam UK in the 1990s until the mid-2000s)...
as well. In 2002, by then part of the DefSoul record label, following a merger between Island, sister label Def Jam Recordings and Universal Music Group...
"This Is How We Do It", Jordan was the primary male solo artist on Def Jam's DefSoul imprint until leaving the label in 2003. In 2010, Jordan became the...
and subsidiaries like Original Black Recordings, DJ West, DefSoul, Disturbing tha Peace, Def Jam South, Roc-A-Fella Records, Murder Inc. Records, and...
transitioning from DefSoul's master label Def Jam Recordings to Atlantic Records, and sending rapper Fabolous from Atlantic to Def Jam. In March 2007...
Jersey City, New Jersey, but raised in Maryland, she signed a contract with DefSoul at the age of 19. In 2001, Milian released her self-titled debut album...
2001). "DefSoul's Milian Makes Pop Transition". Billboard. Vol. 113, no. 38. p. 16. AM to PM (US CD single disc notes). Christina Milian. DefSoul. 2001...
sputnikmusic.com. Get It On Tonite (US CD single liner notes). Montell Jordan. DefSoul. 1999. 314 562 622-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite...
Later in 2003, Jonell was set to release her debut album "Know Me" on the DefSoul label. Her first single So Whassup featured a guest appearance by Redman...
American R&B singer Sisqó of Dru Hill, released on November 30, 1999, on DefSoul. Sisqó recorded the album during Dru Hill's hiatus. It includes the hit...
studio album by American R&B singer Case. It was released by the DefSoul subsidiary of Def Jam Recordings on April 20, 1999. It features the hit single "Happily...
commercially less successful than her previous albums. After her departure from DefSoul, Price produced the gospel album This Is Who I Am. Released in 2006 via...
variety show In Living Color in 1990. After his second album, Soul Food, was released, Def Jef moved into production full-time. Since the 1990s, he has...
by American R&B group Playa, released March 24, 1998, on Def Jam Recordings subsidiary DefSoul. The album was originally going to be named eponymously...
2008. When You Look at Me (UK CD single liner notes). Christina Milian. DefSoul, The Inc. Records. 2002. 582 980-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint:...
Mirror Mirror, was released in 2000 on the DefSoul imprint of Def Jam Records. Island Records and Def Jam Records had merged in 1999, with Price and...
Babees and De La Soul. In 1996, he and fellow Brooklyn-based rapper Talib Kweli formed the duo Black Star, whose debut album Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are...
Aaron Soul is a British singer and songwriter. He was signed to Def Jam's sublabel DefSoul and scored a top 20 hit in the UK with the UK garage track...
released her final MCA album, When a Woman Loves, before signing with DefSoul Classics to release the 2004 album, Timeless Journey. During the promotional...