The Island Def Jam Music Group

The Island Def Jam Music Group (IDJMG) was an American record label group formed in 1999 when the Universal Music Group (UMG) merged two of its daughter companies Island Records and Def Jam Recordings. In 2011, Motown Records was split from the Universal Motown Republic Group and was subsequently merged into the Island Def Jam Music Group.Barry Weiss served as Chairman and CEO of the company. As of February 2014, artists on the IDJMG roster included Mariah Carey, Rihanna, Kanye West, 2 Chainz, and Iggy Azalea. On April 1, 2014, following the resignation of CEO Barry Weiss, it was announced that Island Def Jam will divide into three separate entities: Def Jam Recordings, Island Records and Motown Records.

History

The IDJMG was formed in 1999 when UMG merged two of its daughter companies, Island Records and Def Jam Recordings, as a result of the merger between Universal Music and PolyGram. Also incorporated into the deal was the staff, roster, and back catalog of Mercury Records, which was dismantled for several years until it was revived as a new venture in 2007. Meanwhile, the labels Island Records and Def Jam Recordings continued and still continue to operate as their own respective labels as a part of the Island Def Jam Music Group umbrella (Island has concentrated on pop and rock performers, while Def Jam has most of the group's hip hop and R&B acts). The company also operated the Lost Highway Records label and distributed New York, US label Photo Finish Records.

Def Jam Recordings

Def Jam Recordings is an American record label, focused predominantly on hip hop and urban music, owned by Universal Music Group. In the UK, the label takes on the name Def Jam UK and is operated through Virgin EMI, while in Japan, it is Def Jam Japan operating through Universal Sigma Music. The label distributes various record labels, including Roc-A-Fella Records, Kanye West's GOOD Music,Ludacris' Disturbing Tha Peace, and ARTium Recordings, headed by Def Jam's current executive vice president, No I.D.. Current artists include Iggy Azalea, Logic, Big Sean, Kanye West, Leona Lewis, 2 Chainz, Axwell Λ Ingrosso, Mother Mother, Afrojack, Jeezy, Frank Ocean, Jeremih, Ludacris, Alesso, Jhené Aiko, Desiigner, among others.

Company history

Founding and Def Jam under Columbia/CBS Records-Sony Music Entertainment

Def Jam: Icon

Def Jam: Icon is a 3D fighting game, the third in Electronic Arts's Def Jam-licensed hip hop video game series. The game was developed by EA Chicago, the first Def Jam game not to be developed by AKI Corporation. Unlike the previous games in the series, the game's soundtrack is completely changeable. The game was released for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in March 2007.

Features

The game features 28 playable characters and is much less wrestling-oriented than the previous games, Def Jam Vendetta and Def Jam: Fight for NY. The game's executive producer, Kudo Tsunoda, has stated that he did not feel that wrestling and hip-hop went particularly well with each other. However, throws and environmental damage remain in the game.

Gameplay is similar to EA Chicago's Fight Night: Round 3, featuring a focus on up-close brawling, mixing up high and low attacks, blocks, throws, and parries, and using the right analog stick to deliver stronger attacks. Also, like Round 3, there is no in-game heads up display by default, encouraging the player to observe physical cues on in-game characters to determine their health, such as ripped and burned clothing, bruises, and an overall look of exhaustion of the opponent.

Def Jam Vendetta

Def Jam Vendetta is a 2003 professional wrestling video game that combined hip hop with pro wrestling. It was released for the PlayStation 2 and GameCube. It was Electronic Arts' first attempt at a wrestling game since the widely-panned WCW Backstage Assault. The game's engine was originally designed for use in a sequel to EA's WCW Mayhem, but EA lost the WCW license when the wrestling company was purchased by the World Wrestling Federation in 2001. Several hip hop artists were featured in the game, including DMX, Method Man, Redman, Ludacris, N.O.R.E., Capone, Scarface, Joe Budden, Ghostface Killah, Keith Murray, WC and Funkmaster Flex; all of which at the time were artists of Def Jam Records. Singer Christina Milian was also featured in the game as the character known as Angel. A sequel, Def Jam: Fight for NY, was released in 2004.

Gameplay

The game features a largely unmodified AKI engine, used in the company's Virtual Pro Wrestling games and its spinoffs with some minor "button mashing" elements added and more of an arcade than a simulation. The game plays very similarly to WWF No Mercy, and features a lengthy story mode that allows you to level up and enhance one of four player characters in your quest to become the most well known star in the urban fighting league and fight the undefeated underground boss, D-Mob (voiced by actor Christopher Judge).