Before becoming a key figure in News Corp, James Murdoch briefly carved out his own path in an unexpected place: the world of underground hip-hop.
In 1995, after dropping out of Harvard University—where he studied film, history and contributed to the Harvard Lampoon—Murdoch co-founded Rawkus Records alongside friends Brian Brater and Jarret Myer. The move reflected what later would be described as a “rebellious streak,” as he sought to build a career outside of his father Rupert Murdoch’s business empire.
Rawkus quickly became one of the most important independent hip-hop labels of the late 1990s, helping define the sound of conscious and underground rap. The Brooklyn-based label signed and developed artists including Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Common and Pharoahe Monch, and at one point worked with Eminem.
Among its most acclaimed releases were Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star, Black on Both Sides, Internal Affairs, Quality and the Lyricist Lounge compilations—projects that helped shape a generation of hip-hop.
But Murdoch’s independent venture was short-lived. In 1996, just one year after Rawkus launched, Rupert Murdoch acquired the label, bringing his son into News Corp and effectively ending his attempt to remain outside the family business.
Despite the change in ownership, Rawkus continued operating until 2007, partnering with Priority Records in 1999, entering a joint venture with MCA in 2002, and later moving through Interscope/Geffen and Sony Music’s RED distribution.
His career—and early detour into music—is revisited in Dynasty: The Murdochs, which explores the Murdoch family’s internal dynamics and long-running succession battle. That conflict culminated in a 2025 agreement granting control of the empire to Lachlan Murdoch, while James and his siblings received major payouts and the family trust was dissolved.
