[12] Edel SE & Co. KGaA, a German music distributor which owned 17% of Roadrunner at the time, threatened to take legal action against Universal.

[13] At the turn of the 21st Century the label achieved significant commercial success with records by influential hip hop artists including LL Cool J, Method Man, Redman, DMX, N.O.R.E.

Despite not producing any major hits, the success of the singles Built This City and Dipset Anthem led to the album being certified Gold by the RIAA.

President Lyor Cohen obliged Gotti and Ja Rule not to record the album for TVT, but instead have IDJMG and UMG distribute it to avoid conflict of interest.

[25] It was later revised two years later as TVT's cash award was reduced to $126,000 after Island Def Jam successfully appealed the judgment, claiming the situation was not fraud nor infringement, but instead, breach of contract.

[26][27][28] At the end of the year, Dobson's self-titled debut was released on December 9, as was on the same date as Def Soul artists 112's Hot & Wet and Musiq Soulchild's Soulstar.

Then, in May 2004, Everlast and LaBelle released their albums, White Trash Beautiful and Timeless Journey, under Island and Def Soul Classics respectively.

At the same time, L.A. Reid was appointed president and CEO of the Island Def Jam Music Group after he was dismissed from Arista Records.

Cohen left Island Def Jam to join Warner Music Group, bringing with him colleagues Kevin Liles and Julie Greenwald.

[31][32] Then, in early 2005, the group extended a new label deal renewal with Ludacris' Disturbing tha Peace, making IDJMG a 50 percent stakeholder.

[37] A year later, Steve Bartels was appointed chairman and COO of Island Def Jam, reporting to L.A. Reid and then-CEO of Universal Music, Doug Morris.

[46] Throughout 2010, Island Def Jam generated more public success from Justin Bieber ("Baby"), Kanye West (My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy) and Rihanna ("Only Girl (In the World)").

[47][48] Under Weiss' leadership, Motown Records became an imprint of the Island Def Jam Music Group shortly after the disbandment of the UMRG.

[citation needed] That August, a Jay-Z and Kanye West collaborative album, Watch the Throne, was released under Island Def Jam's distribution.

[56] The Island Def Jam Music Group's operations in the United Kingdom were also changed that year with Mercury UK being absorbed into the new Virgin EMI Records.

By re-establishing Def Jam, Island and Motown as standalone labels within the UMG family, we're positioning them to recapture the uniqueness of their brands and serve artists with the singularity of vision, focus and creativity that was at the core of their original success.

He has positioned Def Jam, Island, Motown and Republic to where they are today — poised for even greater levels of success — and we'd love to keep him in the family.

Barry is an exceptional music executive, and I'm enormously grateful for all of his invaluable contributions during a time of transition for our East Coast companies.