Def Jam Strikes Joint Venture with Nigeria-Dependent Native Records

Def Jam Recordings has entered into an distinctive all over the world joint venture partnership arrangement with the Lagos, Nigeria and British isles-based Native Records. The announcement was made by Def Jam chairman/CEO Tunji Balogun and Seni “Chubbz” Saraki and Teni “Teezee” Zaccheaus, co-presidents and co-founders of Indigenous Networks.

Indigenous Data is the music division of Native Networks, a black-owned and operated, multi-system, multi-disciplinary media and content material firm “dedicated to the discovery and growth of youthful African artists and youth culture” by way of its Indigenous print and digital magazine, its Nativeland festivals and more, according to the announcement. Established in 2016 by Saraki and Zaccheaus with Shola Fagbemi, Addy Edgal and Suleiman Shittu, the label has been a driving drive in the Afrobeats movement.

Pictured above, L-R, Zaccheaus, Fagbemi and Saraki — in collaboration with Balogun (second from remaining), who has had results with artists like WizKid and Tems — will use their A&R know-how and contacts to indicator and create talent throughout the African musical diaspora.

“As we create a culture in this article at Def Jam that connects the best in the worldwide black music diaspora – from hip-hop and R&B to reggae, afrobeats and a lot more – obviously some of the ideal, most important, interesting and chopping-edge new artists and seems in tunes currently are coming out of the continent,” explained Balogun. “Seni, Teni and the Native crew have their fingers on the pulse of what’s truly happening in the scene, as an engine for discovery, and as a hub for creators and artists. I have been a enthusiast of their platform, and have been connected to the men for some time. Our partnership feels genuine and organic, and I believe we’re going to discover and acquire some awesome talent together.”

“We’ve regarded Tunji for pretty a whilst now, and his ear & keep track of record for breaking black artists from all around the earth to a worldwide audience, is 2nd to none,” explained Saraki and Zaccheaus. “We are honored to be invited into his new dwelling, and to be the to start with joint undertaking deal with an African business in Def Jam’s famous background. We actually think that for music, the continent is the most remarkable position in the earth right now. We want Indigenous Information to be about creative independence, and as a enterprise, we’ve always been passionate about getting and operating with artists that do not fairly shade inside the traces, and encouraging them to categorical them selves and establish neighborhood. Africa is not a monophonic continent, and we imagine this partnership will establish just that.”