DEF JAM LEFT?
Phill_Most
4,594 Posts
http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/entertainment/nightlife/12898952.htmThe incredible Roots are newly signed to Def Jam Left, the imprint that deals with neo-soul and grass-roots hip-hop. The band will celebrate with a performance during Homecoming Week at West Chester University Sat., Oct. 15.The perennial touring band will certainly play from its long list of hits, classics like "The Next Movement" and "100% Dundee."Def Jam Left was created for groups like the Roots that may not sell a bunch of records but whose music has a much longer shelf life than more commercialized rap.Other artists on the new imprint include Common, Dangerdoom, Skillz, Talib Kweli (also represented as half of the duo Reflection Eternal, with Hi-Tek), Jaguar Wright, Jill Scott, Jean Grae and many others. Peep the lineup at www.DefJamLeft.com.[/b]What's strange is that when you go to DefJamLeft.com, all you get is a page for The Roots (and not much info in the News section). And when you go to the Links, there's one for Geffen Records which makes a point of saying "The Roots are signed to Geffen Records". Sounds a little strange? I dunno, but nevertheless... 
...if Jay-Z is cosigning (and actually signing) all of the folls listed above, it may be time for ya boy Faux to finally get fitted for that kufi he's been secretly longing to wear for so long. 
...if Jay-Z is cosigning (and actually signing) all of the folls listed above, it may be time for ya boy Faux to finally get fitted for that kufi he's been secretly longing to wear for so long.
Comments
Is this the polite way of saying that it won't be as disposable as all their other recent pop-oriented gunk?
It's almost like a self-recognising backward diss.
So can we expect a Hollis Crew album?
Russell put up money for so many side labels over the years and nothin' has really stuck to the wall. How is Def Jam South doing? I hope it wont just be "neo-soul" artists and their affiliates. Lets hope for the best. The Roots have a strong following, so a strong backing could solidify their fanbase.
I hope it will work out too...but can't be worse than the biggest failure ever,
Def Jam Germany! That was horrible, no good acts and total chaos in the end!!
Can't we all just get along with one Def to the Jam?
LOLOLOLOL
From what I know, the Roots received their exit papers from Geffen not too long ago (w/in the span of 2 months back) and then inked the deal w/ Def Jam Left about a week or so back - I think the author of the feature/article may be slightly overzealous in pronouncing the roster of the label - it's the Roots for now and that's it... Common's still on Geffen (through Kanye's G.O.O.D. Music imprint) as is Kweli... There have been rumors that Ahmir (?uest) is to be installed as a quasi-A&R for the label so who knows which members of the kufi ratpack he'll bring aboard...
This official mixtape 2CD joint was released on Def Jam UK:
One CD was all bhangra artists selected by Panjabi Hit Squad, the other CD was all Def Jam hiphop artists. Now Panjabi Hit Squad have set up Desi Jam(!) records which I'm pretty sure is under the Def Jam imprint. Here's their first release:
In other news
HIDDEN BEACH RECORD LABEL BRACES ITSELF FOR ARTIST RAID
- Kindred the Family Soul offered as sacrificial lamb, Def Jam Left declines to sign due to "headwrap budget difficulties"
I don't know where people come up with this shit. Dudes just want to create their own Okayplayer reality. Jean and Kweli are on Warner Brothers. Common is on Geffen, Dangerdoom is some indy shit, etc.
Between Luda, Jeezy, Scarface and Bobby Valentino... I'd say pretty damn fucking well
Marco- Def Jam UK has been doing the Desi beats thing for a while but thats STRICTLY a Brit phenom correct? I don't seem them messing with it in the States...
Well, if you notice what I put in bold in the original post is all the OTHER artists that this writer says have signed to Def Jam Left... after reading what fakeass had to say, though, I'm pretty sure that the writer just didn't do his homework and listed all the Okayplayer artists, thinking for some reason that they were newly signed to Def Jam Left.
Word is MF Doom (not Danger Doom as tthe article states) signed to Def Jam Left for 1.5 million - heard from an industry insider. But you didn't hear it from me.
SONIC
If that's true, daaaam... Doom deserves it, though. He's been grindin' hard under the mainstream radar for years now, payin' them dues and all.
Random rap, Jay... random rap. Think about it. It's old, but it's new at the same time. How can it miss? Give me a call, man, really.
The whole point of this imprint is that the advances are low and the budgets are small, so that the artists don't have to put up hefty numbers to recoup. There's no way in hell that they gave Doom $1.5Million. Average in-pocket advance for a new artist these days is like $75,000.
MFDOOM is not a new artist.
This will be Jay-Z's playing the shorty game at LEFTJAM.
I underpay you...............if shit blows, I profit.
He's a new artist as far as being signed to a major in his current incarnation as MF Doom. He didn't get a mil and a half, that's for sure, and as far as I can tell he's not even signed to Left Jam at all. Like I said, dudes want to live in an imaginary Okayplayer world.
I'm just repeating what the Def Jam rep told me. He knows I like Doom and felt obliged to tell me. Honestly it doesn't matter to me if guys get a $.75 advance or a $75 million advance. Just a bit of semi-credible gossip I thought I'd let loose. Do what you want with it.
SONIC