Masicka is the latest Jamaican artist to be signed to Def Jam Records and his first single is Pieces featuring newcomer Jahshii. The song was release on Friday February 10.
Latrice Burnette, EVP of Def Jam commented under Masicka’s IG post promoting the new single with “🧩🧩🧩”
The Moments artist’s debut album 438, released December 3, 2021 is the most streamed album by a male dancehall artist in the U.S. that was released over the last 12 month period according to data provided to World Music Views by Billboard sales tracker Luminate.
The independent project has so far earned 32,600 equivalent album units (SEA,TEA) in the US. Of that sum, pure album sales in the US were 1,200 (together equaling total on-demand streams (audio + video) over its lifetime of 48.8 million).
With no major label backing for 438, positioned Masicka to be signed to a major U.S. record company according to sources close to the matter from the label.
The 16-track debut project was released independently through Genasyde/1Syde Records and features collaborations with Stefflon Don, Popcaan, Dexta Daps and Sean Paul.
Upon its release 438 moved 5,164 equivalent album units from sales and streaming in the United States during its first three weeks in December 2021.
This included 2,864 units (733 copies) sold during the first week of release. His first week total consumption also included 400 in song sales, 2,781,700 from on-demand audio streams, and 123,400 from on-demand video streams according to WMV’s Luminate correspondence.
438 debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard Reggae Albums chart and spent a total of 7 weeks on the chart, an achievement surpassed only by top streaming artists Shenseea and Koffee (30 weeks), among recent albums by Jamaicans.
The album has been in the top ten on the Apple Music Jamaica albums chart since its December 2021 release.
Def Jam has also managed to sway DJ Khaled from his successful Sony Music/ Epic Records run and sign with the New York based label which is a subsidiary of Universal Music Group (UMG).
In addition to releasing his music through Def Jam, Khaled has been named Global Creative Consultant for UMG, working across all the labels at the company.
This marks a full-circle moment for Khaled, who started his career as an A&R executive at Def Jam South. He will be reunite Burnette, who played a key role in his success at Epic Records, where he released five albums, four of which reached No. 1 on the Billboard album chart.
In January Khaled’s frequent reggae collaborator Capleton, who was signed with Def Jam in the late 1990s says the label didn’t have the wherewithal to market him to the right “grassroots” audiences in the 90s.
“Because its a 100% hip hop company them never really know how fi gimme dah market deh through grassroots, that’s why we did even end up back a VP, but as me seh anything for the music.”- Capleton
Still he gives the Universal Music Group subsidiary props for helping him to reach new audiences outside of the niche with his biggest hit:
“Big up DefJam same way because them really cross me over where even the kids in America singing ‘hold up wait a minute’,”
as he sings a few lines from his popular hit “Tour”.
With a career spanning more than 30 years, Capleton is featured on DJ Khaled’s 2023 Grammy nominated album God Did on the track The Streets Know My Name with Skillibeng, Sizzla, Bounty Killer, and Buju Banton.
He was also on Khaled’s previous album Khaled Khaled on the track Where You Come From along with Buju Banton, Barrington Levy, and Bounty Killer. The We The Best lead man always used Jamaica and reggae music as a backdrop to market and promote his albums released under Sony/Epic records.
She also says artists from Jamaica do not need major labels,
“I don’t think Jamaican music needs the major labels. it’s such an influential genre and it’s gonna continue to be.”
In the 90s Def Jam signed Capleton and released “Prophecy”, which peaked at number 65 on Billboard’s R&B/Hip Hop Albums chart in 1995 and I-Testament, released in 1997. Capleton also climbed the charts with the singles ‘Tour’ reaching number 57 on the Hot 100 Chart, ‘Wings of The Morning’ reaching number 79 and Heathen Rage peaked at number 79 on the R&B Hip Hop Songs Chart.
Last May Ghanian singer Stone Bwoy real name Livingstone Etse Satekla, also signed to Def Jam Recordings’ African imprint and released the first single in the deal Theraphy.
Therapy via Def Jam Recordings, 0207 Def Jam and Def Jam Africa, is supported by UMG labels around the world. His album was set to drop mid-2022 according to a statement from the label but it is yet to be released or a date announced.
Def Jam and Reggae
The company took a chance with a young Rihanna by releasing her debut single “Pon Di Replay” and launched her successful career.
The legacy record label also took a risk when the released Nas and Damian Marley’s “Distant Relatives” in 2010 which debuted at number five on the US Billboard 200 chart, after selling 57,000 copies in its first week.
