Def Soul
{{Short description|Contemporary R&B division of Def Jam Records}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2022}}
{{Infobox record label
| bgcolor = #000000
| name = {{color|white|Def Soul Records}}
| image = The logo for Def Soul Records.svg
| image_size = 250px
| caption = The New Soul of R&B Flavor
The Island Def Jam Music Group
a Universal Music company
| parent = Universal Music Group
| founded = {{start date and age|1996}}
| founder = {{hlist|Russell Simmons|Kevin Liles}}
| defunct = {{end date|2011}}
| status = Folded
| distributor = {{ubl|Def Jam Recordings {{small|(United States)}}||Mercury Records {{small|(United Kingdom)}}|Universal Music Group {{small|(International)}}|Universal Music Enterprises {{small|(reissues)}}}}
| genre = {{flatlist|
}}
| country = United States
| location = New York City, New York
| url = {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030422022135/http://www.defsoul.com |date=22 April 2003}}
}}
Def Soul Records was an R&B-based division of American multinational record label Def Jam Recordings. It was formed in 1996 by Russell Simmons and Kevin Liles to expand R&B and soul music through Def Jam's said genre-related roster following the successes of Montell Jordan and Case.
The label later garnered more success with other artists that include Musiq Soulchild, Kelly Price, Christina Milian, Aaron Soul, Terri Walker, Dru Hill, 112, Patti LaBelle and The Isley Brothers.{{Cite web |title=DAR Music: The Def Soul R&B Era |url=http://www.definearevolution.com/2018/05/dar-music-def-soul-r-era.html |access-date=2022-04-09}} In the spring of 2011, the label was consolidated into Def Jam, as the urban music industry began to change, so did the Def Jam label roster's multi-genre strategy, citing former artist Rihanna's success as the reason for the downfall of Def Soul.{{citation needed|date=April 2022}}
History
Capitalizing on the successes of Montell Jordan's "This Is How We Do It" in 1995 and Case's self-titled debut album in 1996, Def Jam co-founder Russell Simmons and then-vice president Kevin Liles teamed up to form Def Soul Records, to expand the label's R&B roster. The first release from the label shortly after its formation was Jordan's second album, More..., which came on August 27, 1996, two weeks after Case's debut. Both albums were certified gold.{{Cite web |date=2022-03-21 |title=The Number Ones: Montell Jordan's "This Is How We Do It" |url=https://www.stereogum.com/2179979/the-number-ones-montell-jordans-this-is-how-we-do-it/columns/the-number-ones/ |access-date=2022-04-09 |website=Stereogum |language=en}}{{Cite web |last1=Rosario |first1=Richy |date=2015-04-09 |title=Interview: Case Talks 'Heaven's Door' LP, R&B And The Beyoncé Lip Lock That Almost Happened |url=https://www.vibe.com/news/entertainment/case-heavens-door-beyonce-interview-339900/ |access-date=2022-04-09 |website=VIBE.com |language=en-US}}
Then came trio Playa, whose single "Cheers 2 U" (1998) cracked the top ten of the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. After appearing on the How to Be a Player soundtrack (1997) with the Foxy Brown-assisted "I Gotta Know", the group was greenlit to develop their debut album for Def Soul.{{Cite web |last=Bowser |first=Edward |date=2012-11-05 |title=What Ever Happened to: Playa |url=http://www.soulinstereo.com/2012/11/what-ever-happened-to-playa.html |access-date=2022-04-09 |website=Soul In Stereo |language=en-US}} Their album, also titled Cheers 2 U. Despite the building hype, the album did not chart perfectly on Billboard, debuting at number eighty-nine on the Billboard 200. It was later overshadowed{{How|date=April 2022}} a week later by Jordan's third follow-up, Let's Ride, which made the top ten of the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and (like its predecessor) went gold. The title track gained the album some notoriety, due to No Limit Records labelmates and brothers Master P and Silkk the Shocker delivering their verses.
On the same day as the Columbine High School massacre in 1999, Case returned from his three-year hiatus with Personal Conversation, which (also like its predecessor) went gold and managed to embrace the top forty of the Billboard 200. Its single, "Happily Ever After", gained moderate airplay. That same year, Def Jam's parent label, PolyGram, was acquired by Seagram and its music division was later merged with MCA-related record labels to centralize the Universal Music Group.{{Cite news |last=Strauss |first=Neil |date=1998-12-21 |title=A Major Merger Shakes Up the World of Rock |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1998/12/21/arts/a-major-merger-shakes-up-the-world-of-rock.html |access-date=2022-04-09 |issn=0362-4331}} With this came the folding of Island Black Music, causing the transitioning of Island Records' R&B artist division into Def Soul. The artists under Island that were moved to this label included Dru Hill and Kelly Price.{{citation needed|date=March 2022}} Following next was the creation of The Island Def Jam Music Group.{{Cite magazine |date=1999-03-02 |title=UMG Finally Obtains Island Def Jam |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/umg-finally-obtains-def-jam-98866/ |access-date=2022-04-09 |magazine=Rolling Stone}}
After the folding of Island Black into Def Soul and the UMG creation of IDJMG, Def Soul began to revamp their success with Jordan's Get It On... Tonite in November. While the title track provided success at number four on the Billboard Hot 100, the album itself didn't perform well as Jordan's previous three, despite being his second gold-seller. That same month, Dru Hill leader Sisqó's solo debut, Unleash the Dragon, started to take off. Having debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 and going platinum the following year. Extended success came from its singles, "Got to Get It", the number-one "Incomplete" and "Thong Song".{{Cite web |last=Browne |first=Rembert |date=October 28, 2015 |title=» Rembert Explains Sisqo's 'Unleash the Dragon' |url=https://grantland.com/hollywood-prospectus/rembert-explains-sisqos-unleash-the-dragon/ |access-date=2022-04-09 |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last1=Brown |first1=Preezy |date=2019-12-03 |title=SisQo Shares Memories Of 'Unleash the Dragon' For Album's Anniversary |url=https://www.vibe.com/music/music-news/sisqo-unleash-the-dragon-anniversary-interview-670469/ |access-date=2022-04-09 |website=VIBE.com |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=Revisiting SisQó's Debut Solo Album 'Unleash The Dragon' (1999) {{!}} Retrospective Tribute |url=https://albumism.com/features/sisqo-debut-solo-album-unleash-the-dragon-turns-20-anniversary-retrospective |access-date=2022-04-09 |website=Albumism |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=Baltimore-bred R&B star Sisqó unleashes 20 facts for the 20th anniversary of 'Unleash the Dragon' |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/music/bs-fe-sisqo-unleash-the-dragon-anniversary-20191226-20200101-4aeehavv2bhdha72embalwotvu-story.html |access-date=2022-04-09 |website=Baltimore Sun |language=en}} "Thong Song", however, was the one that gained more success than the previous two, despite being number three on the Hot 100.{{Cite web |last=Grove |first=Rashad |title=Sisqo Revealed Inspiration Behind 'Thong Song' And We Are In Tears - Blavity |url=https://blavity.com/sisqo-revealed-inspiration-behind-thong-song-and-we-are-in-tears |access-date=2022-04-09 |website=Blavity News & Politics |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Sisqo Told Us the Origin Story for His Timeless Masterpiece, 'Thong Song' |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/and-then-there-was-thong-song-sisqo-explains-the-revelation-that-inspired-his-masterpiece/ |access-date=2022-04-09 |website=Vice.com |language=en}}
Summer 2000 saw the release of Kelly Price's sophomore album and her first under Def Soul, Mirror Mirror, which managed to gain the top three of Billboard
Throughout 2001, only three albums were released under Def Soul: Case's Open Letter that April, Sisqó's Return of Dragon in June and Price's One Love, a Christmas album which came out that November. Originally, Christina Milian, who was last featured on Ja Rule's "Between Me and You" (2000), was supposed to release her self-titled debut studio album jointly through Def Soul and Irv Gotti's Murder Inc. Records on September 25, 2001, but due to the September 11 attacks, the album's American release was cancelled and postponed for international release on October 9.{{Cite web |date=2016-10-31 |title=What Happened to Christina Milian- News & Updates |url=https://gazettereview.com/2016/10/happened-christina-milian/ |access-date=2022-04-09 |website=Gazette Review |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=Christina Milian Biography |url=https://musicianguide.com/biographies/1608004458/Christina-Milian.html |access-date=2022-04-09 |website=musicianguide.com}}
In 2002, the label's vigilance was declining. Jordan left Def Soul after his eponymous fifth album failed to chart on Billboard.{{Cite magazine |author=Billboard Staff |date=2002-02-15 |title=Montell Jordan Opens Up Like Never Before |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/montell-jordan-opens-up-like-never-before-76772/ |access-date=2022-04-09 |magazine=Billboard |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Archive-Soren-Baker |title=Montell Jordan Sick Of Getting No Respect |url=https://www.mtv.com/news/1452104/montell-jordan-sick-of-getting-no-respect/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180717034917/http://www.mtv.com/news/1452104/montell-jordan-sick-of-getting-no-respect/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=17 July 2018 |access-date=2022-04-09 |website=MTV News |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Bowser |first=Edward |date=2011-04-19 |title=Whatever Happened to: Montell Jordan |url=http://www.soulinstereo.com/2011/04/whatever-happened-to-montell-jordan.html |access-date=2022-04-09 |website=Soul In Stereo |language=en-US}} Aaron Soul, who previously scored a U.K. hit with "Ring, Ring, Ring", also had internal conflict with Def Soul as so Jonell regarding the delaying of their albums.{{citation needed|date=April 2022}} 3rd Storee lost their deal with Def Soul after their album, Get with Me, failed to perform properly.{{citation needed|date=April 2022}} Besides that, Musiq continued on his success with his sophomore album, Juslisen, becoming his first and also, Def Soul's first, number-one album on the Billboard 200.{{Cite web |last1=Augustin |first1=Camille |date=2017-05-07 |title=Musiq Soulchild's 'Juslisen' And The Art Of Writing About Love |url=https://www.vibe.com/music/music-news/musiq-soulchild-juslisen-anniversary-review-509645/ |access-date=2022-04-09 |website=VIBE.com |language=en-US}} Not long after that, Dru Hill began work on their comeback album, Dru World Order, after four years of inactivity. It was released that November, but didn't match the success as the group's previous works.{{Cite magazine |author=Billboard Staff |date=2002-10-22 |title=Dru Hill Regroups For New 'World Order' |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/dru-hill-regroups-for-new-world-order-73747/ |access-date=2022-04-09 |magazine=Billboard |language=en-US}}
2003 saw a huge dwindle within the division as LovHer and Jonell were dropped from the label. Terri Walker's untitled debut also didn't chart well on the UK Albums chart at number one-hundred eighteen despite going gold and having positive feedback from critics.{{citation needed|date=April 2022}} As Walker suffered downhill failure, Kelly Price also faced similar problems as her third album, Priceless, also failed to match the successes of her previous two albums. She left the label in 2005 following serious issues.{{Citation needed|date=April 2022}} Former Bad Boy quartet 112 joined Def Soul after a falling out with founder Sean "Diddy" Combs.{{Cite magazine |author=Billboard Staff |date=2002-02-28 |title=112 Leaves Bad Boy For Island Def Jam |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/112-leaves-bad-boy-for-island-def-jam-76638/ |access-date=2022-04-09 |magazine=Billboard |language=en-US}}{{Cite magazine |author=Billboard Staff |date=2003-02-20 |title=Bad Boy, Def Jam Come Together For 112 |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/bad-boy-def-jam-come-together-for-112-72253/ |access-date=2022-04-09 |magazine=Billboard |language=en-US}} December saw the releases of 112's Hot & Wet and Musiq's Soulstar. Both albums also failed to garner commercial notoriety despite having peaked within the top five of the Billboard R&B album chart and going gold. The following year, Def Soul and Mama's Boys Music released the soundtrack to the comedy, Johnson Family Vacation, featuring the single, "Shoulda Known Betta" by Case. He left the label sometime the same year after the continued delaying of his planned fourth studio album.{{citation needed|date=April 2022}} May commenced the release of Patti LaBelle's Timeless Journey which became a top five R&B album on the chart, due to the success of its single, "New Day".{{Cite book |last1=LaBelle |first1=Patti |url=https://chipublib.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S126C1006561 |title=Timeless journey |last2=Ben-Ari |first2=Miri |last3=Santana |first3=Carlos |last4=E. |first4=Sheila |last5=India |last6=Vargas |first6=Andy |date=2004 |publisher=Def Soul Classics ; Distributed by Universal Music & Video |others=Floetry (Musical group), Def Soul (Sound recording label), Universal Music & Video |location=New York] : [Universal City, Calif.}}{{Citation |title=Timeless Journey - Patti LaBelle {{!}} Songs, Reviews, Credits {{!}} AllMusic |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/timeless-journey-mw0000332351 |language=en |access-date=2022-04-09}}
Around 2005, 112 released their fifth album, Pleasure & Pain, which failed to meet the commercial success as their four projects. Soon after, 112 were released from the division after the album's release. LaBelle released Classic Moments under the Def Soul Classics imprint, but soon left the label after she accused then-vice president of Def Jam, L.A. Reid of misconduct.{{Cite web |title=Story about Patti Labelle Party and Her Rant about L.A. Reid |url=https://prince.org/msg/8/164159 |access-date=2022-04-09 |website=prince.org}} As 2006 came, Def Soul began to die down. Despite the release of The Isley Brothers' Baby Makin' Music in May{{Cite news |title='Baby Makin' Music' from the Isley Brothers |language=en |work=NPR.org |url=https://www.npr.org/2006/05/16/5407986/baby-makin-music-from-the-isley-brothers |access-date=2022-04-09}} and it charting at number five on the Billboard 200, the label still hasn't rebuilt fanfare. Also in 2006, Musiq Soulchild was let go from Def Soul, due to a de facto label trade between Def Jam and Atlantic Records; taking Musiq to Atlantic and switching Fabolous to Def Jam.{{Citation |title=Luvanmusiq (Explicit) |date=2008-07-01 |url=https://www.pandora.com/artist/musiq-soulchild/luvanmusiq-explicit/ALncj2jzwddq49m |language=en |access-date=2022-04-09}}{{Cite web |title=Fabolous |url=https://www.thedrop303.org/members/fabolous/ |access-date=2022-04-09 |website=THE DROP |language=en-US}}
Only two Christmas albums commenced on Def Soul in late 2007, LaBelle's Miss Patti's Christmas and the Isley Brothers' I'll Be Home for Christmas. The following two years came without activity from the label. Many outlets and social media users were concerned that fellow R&B acts Ne-Yo, Rihanna, Jeremih and Chrisette Michele's successful careers at parent label Def Jam were what caused Def Soul Records to fall down, besides the aforementioned four not being signed to this division.{{citation needed|date=April 2022}} Then, in November 2010, Ronald Isley released his comeback solo album following his prison release, Mr. I.{{Citation |title=Mr. I - Ronald Isley {{!}} Songs, Reviews, Credits {{!}} AllMusic |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/mr-i-mw0002035853 |language=en |access-date=2022-04-09}} This was the final release under the Def Soul imprint; in May 2011, Def Soul was finally folded into Def Jam Records, taking the rest of its remaining roster with it and consolidating all of Def Jam's artist roster of various genres together.{{citation needed|date=April 2022}}
Recently, as of December 2021, there has been an official playlist on Spotify by Def Jam, using the label's name, mixing the label's singles with that of recent Def Jam R&B songs following the shutdown.{{Cite web |title=Def Soul |url=https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7KE9ivMQKAvM1tothYySdz |access-date=2022-04-09 |website=Spotify |language=en}}
Artist roster
- Montell Jordan (1996–2003)
- Case (1996–2004)
- Playa (1997–2002)
- Musiq Soulchild (1998–2006)
- Kandice Love (1998–2002)
- Dru Hill (1999–2003)
- Sisqó (1999–2003)
- Kelly Price (1999–2004)
- LovHer (1999–2003)
- Aaries (2000–2005)
- Aaron Soul (2000–2002)
- Jonell (2000–2003)
- Terri Walker (2001–2005)
- Christina Milian (2001–2003)
- 3rd Storee (2001–2002)
- 112 (2002–2006)
- K. Fox (2002–2005)
- Patti LaBelle (2003–2006; 2007–2008)
- The Isley Brothers (2005–2011)
Def Soul Classics
{{Infobox record label
| name = Def Soul Classics
| image = Def Soul Classics logo.svg
| image_size = 250px
| caption =
| parent = Universal Music Group
| founded = {{start date and age|2004}}
| defunct = {{end date|2011}}
| status = Folded
| distributor = {{ubl|Def Soul/Def Jam Recordings {{small|(United States)}}|Universal Music Enterprises {{small|(reissues)}}}}
| genre = {{flatlist|
- Contemporary R&B
- soul
- greatest hits
}}
| country = United States
}}
Def Soul Classics was a greatest hits branch of Def Soul Records, complimenting on re-releases or greatest hits projects released under the division.{{citation needed|date=April 2022}}
The first release under the Def Soul Classics branch despite the name was Patti LaBelle's Timeless Journey on May 4, 2004. A year later, the first greatest hits compilation under Def Soul Classics, Dru Hill's Hits was released that October.
In 2005, Def Soul Classics released LaBelle's Classic Moments, followed up by the Isley Brothers' Baby Makin' Music in May 2006. The Classics branch also released two Christmas albums towards the end of 2007, Isley's I'll Be Home for Christmas and LaBelle's Miss Patti's Christmas.
The final release under the Classics branch was Ronald Isley's solo album, Mr I. in 2010. Then, as with the entirety of Def Soul Records, this label was also folded into Def Jam.{{citation needed|date=April 2022}}
Discography
{{main|Def Jam Recordings discography}}
External links
- [https://www.discogs.com/label/6470-Def-Soul Def Soul Records catalog] on Discogs
- [https://www.discogs.com/label/32595-Def-Soul-Classics Def Soul Classics catalog] on Discogs