Artists & Music

DEF JAM BOXED SET CELEBRATES 10 YEARS OF MUSIC AND CULTURE (Continued from page 51) Tashan; all had mediocre chart per- per Domino, who is expected to re- of a new distribution pact through Cohen says that RAL had reve- Burke, and A&R VP Chris Lighty, formances. lease an in mid -1996. The set Island (Billboard, May 14, 1994). nues of $54 million during its first who is also CEO of Violator. Other less- than -successful im- will follow his self-titled 1993 debut As a result of the move, Rush six months with PGD. Def Jam recently reactivated its prints included Fever, P.R.O. Divi- album, which sold 668,000 units, ac- Communications formed a corpo- West Coast office, which was origi- sion, No Face, and Dew Dew Man cording to SoundScan. rate tier under the banner of the STRONG CATALOG nally established in 1992. The satel- Records. However, some of the la- PMP, to which hip -hop R &B act Def Jam Music Group, which Working in a genre in which acts lite branch is headed by West Coast bels have managed to survive. Jordan is signed, maintains its asso- encompasses Rush Associated La- have notoriously short careers, Def A &R director Tina Davis, whose JMJ Records, was founded by Ja- ciation with RAL. However, a legal bels. Jam has been able to develop sev- task is to bolster the company's son Mizell (aka DJ Jam Master Jay dispute with West Coast -based label The move opened up greater op- eral rap acts with longevity. cross -country presence. of Run-D.M.C.) in 1989 and pacted owner Paul Stewart will determine portunities, especially on the film The Beastie Boys' "Licensed To "With the aggregate of PGD for with RAL a year later. After ineffec- the relationship's future. front, because of the backing Sim- Ill" has remained at the top of the support, we're set to be very com- tive releases by Famlee and the G -Funk Records features West mons gained from his new partner's Top Pop Catalog chart for petitive in the coming years," says Afros, the label hit in 1993 with Coast rap trio the Dove Shack and motion picture arm, PolyGram more than two years and has been Cohen. "Bacdafucup" by rap act Onyx, twin siblings the Twinz. Debut sets Filmed Entertainment. certified quintuple -platinum. Upcoming September releases which sold 1 million units, according from both acts are scheduled for re- Simmons recently formed his own Other platinum -certified Def Jam through Def Jam and its associated to SoundScan. lease in September: "This Is The film company, Def Pictures. In addi- catalog titles include L.L. Cool J's labels include an untitled Onyx al- JMJ recently signed female rap- Shack" and "Conversation," respec- tion to the Rysher Entertainment "Radio," "Bigger And Deffer," bum and a new set from veteran Def per Suga, whose "What's Up Star" tively. rap concert film "The Show," on "Walking With A Panther," and Jam rapper Erick Sermon, whose is included on the soundtrack for The first release from African which he served as executive pro- "Mama Said Knock You Out "; Pub- 1993 debut solo album, "No Pres- "The Show." Star, headed by producer/manager ducer, Simmons is associated with lic Enemy's "Fear Of A Black sure," sold 247,000 copies, according Chris Lighty formed Violator Stuart Brown and founded in March three feature films in various stages Planet," "It Takes A Nation Of Mil- to SoundScan. Records in 1990 and sealed a distri- 1995, is "Prophecy" by reggae artist of production: "The Nutty Profes- lions To Hold Us Back," and "Apoc- Simmons says that although its bution deal with RAL three years Capleton. It is due Oct. 2. sor," "The Funeral," and "The Ad- alypse 91 ... The Enemy Strikes planned "farewell" concert in Lon- later. Its first release via RAL was Juicee Entertainment, headed by diction." Black "; Slick Rick's "The Great Ad- don is on hold due to an injury sus- West Coast rapper Warren G's de- former Columbia A &R director "The Show" was produced and di- ventures Of Slick Rick "; and Onyx's tained by rapper Flavor Flay,