Universal To Launch ‘YouTube Label’ With Def Jam Founder

The Universal Music Group has this morning indicated that it is preparing to launch a new label, All Def Music, which will aim to sign, develop and promote artists on YouTube.

The imprint will leverage the All Def Digital platform, a YouTube channel launched by Russell Simmons, who co-founded Def Jam with Rick Rubin, and leading film, TV and digital media producer Brian Robbins, to create content for the label's talent. Hip hop industry pioneer and founder of Loud and SRC Records, Steve Rifkind comes on board as CEO and President of All Def Music and ADD Management.

In an email sent to staff overnight Australian time, and obtained by theMusic.com.au, UMG's Chairman and CEO Lucian Grange said, “With each passing day it becomes more undeniable that how successful we are in navigating the intersection of music and technology will be ever more critical in how successful we are as a company.

“All Def Music demonstrates our strong commitment to explore new and different platforms and approaches to the world of music and to do so more rigorously and more inventively than any company in our industry has ever done before.”

In the official statement Rifkin added, “Over the course of my entire career, I've never been more excited than I am today about the potential for innovation in music. Tapping into YouTube's fertile creative platform, we intend to identify, develop and nurture music's next generation of superstar talent.”

Although the label will be officially launched next year, the first signing is comedian and musician John A. Baker, Jr – aka Spoken Reason – who boasts over 1.3 million YouTube subscribers.