1984
Def Jam was founded by Rick Rubin & Russell Simmons
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Def Jam releases first single T La Rock and Jazzy Jay “It’s Yours”
1985
Krush Groove film based on Def Jam released
Def Jam releases first album LL Cool J’s 'Radio'
1986
Def Jam signs Slick Rick
Def Jam releases first R&B album "Juice" by Oran “Juice” Jones
Def Jam signs its only heavy metal band Slayer
Beastie Boys release debut album "Licensed To Ill" Nov 15 FIRST RAP ALBUM TO TOP BILLBOARD 200. WENT ON TO SELL 10M COPIES AND BECAME DIAMOND CERTIFIED.
1987
LL Cool J releases 'I Need Love'
The 87 Def Jam Tour with LL Cool J, Whoodini, Eric B & Rakim, New Choice, Roxanne Shante, Too Short
1988
Public Enemy releases 'It Takes A Nation of Millions To Hold Us Back'
EPMD releases debut album “Strictly Business”
Slick Rick releases debut album The Great Adventures of Slick Rick
1989
Def Jam signs first female rapper, Nikki D
1990
LL Cool J releases his fourth studio album "Mama Said Knock You Out"
Public Enemy releases “Fear of a Black Planet” featuring hit single ‘Fight The Power’
1992
Def Comedy Jam airs its first episode
LL Cool J wins Best Rap Solo Performance Grammy for 'Mama Said Knock You Out'
1993
Onyx release debut album “Bacdafucup” featuring their hit single 'Slam'
LL Cool J performs at Former President Bill Clinton’s inauguration ceremony
1995
Montell Jordan releases "This Is How We Do It" which later snags a #1
Method Man and Mary J Blige 'I’ll Be There For You/You’re All I Need To Get By'
1996
Foxy Brown signs to Def Jam and releases debut album ‘Ill Na Na’
1997
Roc-A-Fella signs 50/50 partnership and distribution deal
Def Jam launches Murder Inc. Records
Def Jam’s How To Be A Player film is released
1998
DMX releases debut album 'It’s Dark and Hell Is Hot'
Sisqo releases 'Thong Song'
Def Jam Survival of the Illest Tour with DMX, Def Squad, and Onyx
Jay-Z releases "Vol.2 Hard Knock Life"
DMX release “Flesh of my Flesh, Blood of my Blood” BECOMES SECOND RAPPER EVER TO HAVE TWO #1 ALBUMS IN SAME YEAR "IT'S DARK AND HELL IS HOT" & "FLESH OF MY FLESH, BLOOD OF MY BLOOD"
1999
Ja Rule releases debut album “Venni Vetti Vecci”
Redman and Method Man release “Blackout!”
Def Jam South and Def Soul are founded
2000
Def Jam signs Ludacris
Beanie Sigel releases his debut album “The Truth”
Jay-Z releases “The Dynasty: Roc-La-Familia”
Backstage concert film of Hard Knock Life Tour is released
2001
Jay-Z releases MTV Unplugged live album “Jay-Z: Unplugged”
Ludacris releases “Word of Mouf”
Jay-Z releases “The Blueprint”
Def Poetry Jam airs first episode
2002
Ashanti releases debut self titled album
Mariah Carey signs to Def Jam
Cam’Ron releases “Come Home With Me”
State Property Soundtrack
2003
Def Jam Vendetta is released
Freeway releases “Philadelphia Freeway” featuring hit song 'What We Do'
DMX achieve 5 consecutive #1 albums with “Grand Champ”
Cradle 2 The Grave Soundtrack
Jay-Z announces retirement and drops "The Black Album"
The Diplomats release 'Diplomatic Immunity'
2004
Jay-Z becomes the president of Def Jam
Def Jam Fight For NY released
Jay-Z and Linkin Park release "Collision Course" album
2005
Rihanna signs to Def Jam
Jeezy signs to Def Jam
Mariah Carey releases “The Emancipation of Mimi”
Rihanna releases debut album “Music of the Sun”
Jeezy releases "Let’s Get It: Thug Motivation 101"
112 release "Pleasure and Pain" which feature hit song 'U Already Know'
2006
Jay-Z releases “Kingdom Come”
Ne-yo releases "In My Own Words"
Fabolous signs to Def Jam
Rick Ross releases hit single “Hustlin’”
Ghost Face Killa releases “Fishscale”
Nas signs to Def Jam
2007
Rihanna releases “Good Girl Gone Bad”
Jay-Z releases "American Gangster"
Jeremih releases self titled debut album featuring hit single ‘Birthday Sex’
The Dream releases debut album "Love/Hate"
Jadakiss signs to Def Jam
2008
Rihanna wins first Grammy for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration for "Umbrella"
Big Sean signs to Def Jam
Justin Bieber signs to Def Jam
Jeezy releases “The Recession” which features his hit singles ‘Put On’ & ‘My President’
2009
Jeremih signs to Def Jam
Jadakiss releases “The Last Kiss”
Fast Life Youngstas release 'Swag Surfin'
2010
Justin Bieber releases ‘Baby’
YG signs to Def Jam
Pusha T signs to Def Jam
Justin Bieber releases debut album 'My World 2.0'
2011
Watch The Throne tour kicks off and later becomes the highest grossing hip-hop tour
Big Sean releases debut album “Finally Famous”
Teyana Taylor signs to Def Jam
Fabolous releases “The S.O.U.L Tape”
2012
2 Chainz signs to Def Jam
Beastie Boys inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
Justin Bieber releases “Believe”
Jhené Aiko signs to Def Jam
2 Chainz releases his debut album “Based On A T.R.U Story”
Frank Ocean releases "Channel Orange"
2013
Fast & Furious 6 Soundtrack is released
Pusha T releases debut album “My Name Is My Name”
Public Enemy inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
2014
Alessia Cara signs to Def Jam
Justin Bieber releases “Purpose”
Jhené Aiko releases her EP 'Sail Out' which featured her hit song "The Worst"
YG releases debut album “My Krazy Life”
Jhené Aiko releases debut album “Souled Out”
2015
Justin Bieber wins his first Grammy for Best Dance Recording for 'Where Are Ü Now' with Diplo and Skrillex
Desiigner releases ‘Panda’
Big Sean releases 'Dark Sky Paradise'
Alessia Cara releases debut album “Know-It-All”
2016
Dave East signs to Def Jam
Toni Braxton releases “Sex & Cigarettes” featuring #1 US Billboard Adult R&B single ‘Long As I Live’
Purpose Tour begins and becomes one of the highest grossing tours of 2016 & 2017
2 Chainz releases “Collegrove” joint album with Lil Wayne
Rihanna releases “Anti” which has spent 400 weeks on Billboard 200
2017
2 Chainz releases “Pretty Girls Like Trap Music”
Jay-Z releases “4:44”
Jhené Aiko releases third studio album “Chilombo”
2 Chainz wins his first Grammy for Best Rap Performance
2018
Pusha T releases “Daytona”
Alessia Cara wins Grammy for Best New Artist
Teyana Taylor releases “K.T.S.E.”
2019
Dave East releases debut album “Survival”
2020
Big Sean releases fifth studio album “Detroit 2”
Justin Bieber releases fifth studio album "Changes"
Def Jam launches Def Jam Forward
Jadakiss releases fifth studio album "Ignatius"
2021
DMX’s album "Exodus" is released
Justin Bieber releases "Justice" which features his hit record 'Peaches'
2022
Rihanna releases “Lift Me Up” from the soundtrack of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Pusha T releases “It’s Almost Dry”
Coco Jones releases “What I Didn’t Tell You” featuring hit single ‘ICU’
Fridayy releases debut self titled album
2023
Slick Rick receives Lifetime Achievement Award at The Grammys
Muni Long releases “Public Displays Of Affection: The Album” featuring hit single ‘Hrs & Hrs’
Muni Long wins Grammy for ‘Hrs & Hrs’ for Best R&B Performance
2 Chainz releases “Welcome 2 Collegrove” joint album with Lil Wayne
2024
Lyrical Lemonade releases “All Is Yellow”
Benny The Butcher releases “Everybody Can’t Go”
