Earlier in September, Universal Music Group officially launched Dej Jam Music Sweden saying that the label “will continue to follow the blueprint of the iconic Def Jam Recordings label” and will me led by Mattias Caliste.
Caliste most recently ran Virgin Music Sweden and will be tasked with building the new branch in Swden, which was the world’s 10th biggest exporter of global Top 10 hits in 2023, according to an IFPI EU report.
The new company expands Def Jam’s reach in the United Kingdom, following the launch of 0207 Def Jam back in 2020.
The company said that they launched with a flagship roster that includes both “well-established artists” and new talent and their roster includes “heavy-hitters” Asme and Sarettii, rap veteran Sebastian Stakset, and rising star Zikai.
“It is a great honour for me to start up Def Jam Recordings in Sweden” Caliste, who will be joined by Hamid Jamshidi and Hermon Alemseghed, said in an official announcement.
“Def Jam raised me! I grew up on artists like Public Enemy, EPMD, LL Cool J, Redman & Method Man, Warren G and many others who all released some of their most outstanding albums under Def Jam. The label has a legacy that is incredibly important for hip hop as both a genre and a subculture.”
