Tunji Balogun to become the new CEO of Def Jam

Balogun, who is also the founder of Keep Cool, an RCA imprint.

On August 10, 2021, American publication, Variety announced that RCA’s executive vice president of A&R is set to become the new CEO of Def Jam Records.

Balogun, who is also the founder of Keep Cool, an RCA imprint alongside Right Hand Music Group founder Courtney Stewart, A&R Jon Tanners and marketing executive Jared Sherman. The label is home to Normani, UMI, Lucky Daye, Freddie Gibbs and Madlib, and Nigerian sisters, VanJess.

He is set to replace Paul Rosenberg, Eminem's manager who became Chairman and CEO in 2017, but stepped down in February 2021, after being strongly criticized for the company's inability to create a new range of stars after Logic and Justin Beiber.

Rosenberg was also criticized for not taking advantage of the Drill movement that started in his backyard. The exit of Complex's former Editor-In-Chief, Noah Callahan-Bever, further added to chatter of uncertainty around the label under Rosenberg's reign.

Over the past 10 years, Balogun has been instrumental in getting TDE and RCA to do a deal for SZA, equally for Dreamville and Sony to do a deal for Cozz, an American rapper of Nigerian descent.

Since he became a boss at RCA, he's slowly but sure led an R&B resurgence with the signing of Bryson Tiller, GoldLink, Khalid, Wizkid, and H.E.R, with many more like Jayla Darden and Tems still under development.

He was also instrumental in the Black Panther OST. He introduced Jorja Smith to Kendrick Lamar.

What is Def Jam?

Founded by Rick Rubin and Russell Simmons in 1987, the label became one of the biggest subsidiaries in the music industry by taking advantage of the burgeoning sounds of Hip-Hop and R&B in the 80's and early 90's.

As reported on Mogul Podcast by the late great Reggie 'Combat Jack' Osei, the label was saved by Chris Lighty and Warren G when problems arose in the 90's.

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In the 2000s, the label was famously headed by Jay Z, who used his position to get Kanye West's G.O.O.D Music crew, Rihanna, Rick Ross, Young Jeezy and more on the label.