As of 2025, Def Jam's current roster includes Gelo Ball, Justin Bieber, DJ Khaled, Alessia Cara, Big Sean, Dave East, Wale, Jeremih, Pusha T, Fabolous, Jhené Aiko, Coco Jones, LL Cool J, Public Enemy, Jadakiss, YG, Muni Long, Buju Banton, Fridayy, Benny the Butcher, Trinidad Cardona, DaniLeigh, Fredo Bang, Nasty C, Armani White, and Hit-Boy among others.

[2] Def Jam was co-founded by Rick Rubin in his dormitory in Weinstein Hall at New York University,[3] and its first release was a single by his punk-rock group Hose.

[5] Rubin has said he met Simmons on the TV show Graffiti Rock and recognized him then as "the face of hip hop": "He was five years older than me, and he was already established in the music business.

The first releases with Def Jam Recordings catalog numbers were LL Cool J's "I Need a Beat" and the Beastie Boys' "Rock Hard", both in 1984.

RAL became the home to Nice & Smooth and EPMD after both acts were acquired due to the folding of their former label Sleeping Bag Records.

As the decade drew to a close, the label signed Public Enemy, whose controversial lyrical content garnered the company both critical acclaim and disdain.

In 1991, CBS Records was folded (or rather rebranded) to the music division of Japanese electronic giant Sony, bringing Def Jam and Columbia with it.

[8][9] By 1992, despite recent multiple platinum selling releases from Public Enemy, and EPMD, Def Jam ran into major financial troubles and was faced with folding while at Sony.

Island would share in sales and marketing duties with select radio projects while Def Jam remained independent on all other label functions (A&R, video, promotion and publicity).

The label venture went on to receive huge success with a slew of various other multi-platinum releases from Montell Jordan, Public Enemy, LL Cool J, Redman, Method Man and more.

[12] Def Jam followed up with its then-new R&B act, Case, whose self-titled debut album (also in 1996), including the single, "Touch Me, Tease Me", went gold.

Despite the formation of IDJMG, the Def Jam, Mercury, and Island labels continued to operate as separate imprints underneath the umbrella.

[citation needed] Lyor Cohen was appointed co-president of IDJMG, and Kevin Liles succeeded him as president of Def Jam.

Def Soul also issued recordings by Musiq Soulchild, Montell Jordan, Case, 112, Patti LaBelle, and Christina Milian.

[20] The following year, it launched another subsidiary, Def Jam South, which focused on Southern rap and distributed releases from labels such as Disturbing tha Peace, whose artist roster included its co-founder Ludacris, Shawnna, Bobby Valentino and Playaz Circle.

Russell Simmons tapped Houston hip hop legend and former Rap-A-Lot recording artist Scarface as the original head of Def Jam South.

[23] Roc-A-Fella Records artists proved successful with the Jay-Z's The Dynasty: Roc La Familia (2001) and The Blueprint (2001), including the labels other signees gaining recognition with Beanie Sigel's The Truth (2000) and Memphis Bleek's The Understanding (2001).

[26] Their artist roster has included Japanese-American singer Ai, Teriyaki Boyz, AK-69, Nitro Microphone Underground, and South Korean boy band BTS.

In January 2003, Murder Inc. became the center of a money laundering investigation involving illegal profits from drug trading,[27] leading to the label's eventual release from its distribution contract by 2005.

Def Jam also blocked Murder Inc. and TVT Records from releasing a Cash Money Click reunion album, due to Ja Rule's contractual obligations, which alleged that Cohen paid Ja and Irv Gotti US$8 million not to submit the project to TVT, but instead to parent company Universal.

In June 2008, Shakir Stewart was appointed as the executive vice president of Def Jam, a position that was previously left vacant since December 2007.

It was later announced by his former boss, Barry Weiss, that he would be in charge of the urban division at Def Jam's sister Universal Music label, Interscope Records.

[43] He later became the executive vice president of the urban division at Def Jam's sister Universal label, Capitol Music Group.

On April 1, 2014, it was announced that the Island Def Jam Music Group would no longer be active following the resignation of CEO Barry Weiss.

[44] A press release serviced by Universal Music Group stated that IDJMG, and all of its assets would be reorganized into Def Jam, Island and Motown, all as separate entities.

[47][48] On September 17, 2019, the launch of Def Jam South East Asia was announced at Music Matters, an annual music industry conference held in Singapore, where Joe Flizzow from Malaysia, Daboyway from Thailand, Yung Raja, Fariz Jabba and Alif from Singapore and A. Nayaka from Indonesia were announced as the label's six inaugural signings.

[57][58] On April 9, 2021, returning label veteran DMX died in a White Plains hospital a week after suffering from a drug overdose succumbing him to a fatal heart attack.

[63] In August 2021, Harleston announced that he will replace himself as the interim president of Def Jam with former Interscope/RCA executive and Keep Cool founder Tunji Balogun, who agreed to take on the role as chairman and CEO, which he did on New Year's Day 2022.

[64][65][66] In late-October 2022, Def Jam ended their partnership with GOOD Music, Kanye West's label, in response to the founder's online and public media outbursts, including his 2024 presidential campaign, antisemitic and pro-race remarks.