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.

[2][3] Then came trio Playa, whose single "Cheers 2 U" (1998) cracked the top ten of the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.

After appearing on the How to Be a Player soundtrack (1997) with the Foxy Brown-assisted "I Gotta Know", the group was greenlit to develop their debut album for Def Soul.

The title track gained the album some notoriety, due to No Limit Records labelmates and brothers Master P and Silkk the Shocker delivering their verses.

[1] On the same day as the Columbine High School massacre in 1999, Case returned from his three-year hiatus with Personal Conversation, which (also like its predecessor) went gold and managed to embrace the top forty of the Billboard 200.

While the title track provided success at number four on the Billboard Hot 100, the album itself didn't perform well as Jordan's previous three, despite being his second gold-seller.

[15][16] Later that November, Musiq released his debut album, Aijuswanaseing, which made the near-bottom of the top thirty section of the Billboard 200, but managed to go gold two months after.

[citation needed] 3rd Storee lost their deal with Def Soul after their album, Get with Me, failed to perform properly.

[citation needed] Former Bad Boy quartet 112 joined Def Soul after a falling out with founder Sean "Diddy" Combs.

The following year, Def Soul and Mama's Boys Music released the soundtrack to the comedy, Johnson Family Vacation, featuring the single, "Shoulda Known Betta" by Case.

[citation needed] May commenced the release of Patti LaBelle's Timeless Journey which became a top five R&B album on the chart, due to the success of its single, "New Day".

Despite the release of The Isley Brothers' Baby Makin' Music in May[30][1] and it charting at number five on the Billboard 200, the label still hasn't rebuilt fanfare.

[citation needed] The first release under the Def Soul Classics branch despite the name was Patti LaBelle's Timeless Journey on May 4, 2004.