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Def Jam Africa expands into Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal and Cameroon

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Universal Music Group (UMG), the world leader in music-based entertainment, today announced the further expansion of its Def Jam Africa division into three new markets within French-speaking Africa; Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal and Cameroon, effective immediately.

Def Jam Africa launched in May 2020, as the first label dedicated to representing the best hip-hop, Afrobeats and trap talent in Africa, and follows the blueprint of the iconic Def Jam Recordings label, which has led and influenced the cutting-edge in hip-hop and urban culture for more than 35 years.

Def Jam Africa will now have additional A&R, marketing and digital resources based within UMG’s offices in Abidjan (Côte d’Ivoire), Dakar (Senegal) and Douala (Cameroon), dedicated to discovering hip-hop talent across all French-speaking African markets and will operate under the leadership of Franck Kacou, Directeur Général, Universal Music Africa.

Kacou will work closely with Sipho Dlamini, CEO, Universal Music Sub-Saharan Africa & South Africa and Def Jam Africa teams in Johannesburg, South Africa and Lagos, Nigeria, to ensure the Def Jam Africa continues to identify and sign the best artist talent from across the entire continent.

The first flagship artist signings to join Def Jam Africa from these countries are highly respected and hugely popular rappers; Tenor (Cameroon), Suspect 95 (Côte d’Ivoire), & Omzo Dollar (Senegal), The trio joins some of Africa’s most influential artists and MC’s already on the label including: Cassper Nyovest, Nasty C, Larry Gaaga, Boity, Nadia Nakai, Tellaman, Tshego, Ricky Tyler & Vector.

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In making the announcement, Franck Kacou said, “We are excited to launch Def Jam Africa in Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal and Cameroon with three of Africa’s most exciting hip-hop artists; Tenor, Suspect 95 and Omzo Dollar. There is a wealth of domestic hip-hop talent here and in the surrounding countries, that has the potential to transcend language and geographical boundaries to appeal to audiences throughout Africa, France and beyond. I look forward to working alongside Sipho to expand our community of artists across the continent, and to help elevate hip-hop from Africa to new heights.

Jeff Harleston, interim Chairman & CEO, Def Jam Recordings said, “The reaction to the recent launch of Def Jam Africa showed the weight and respect that the Def Jam name and brand carries globally. We are excited to welcome these new markets to the Def Jam Family. It provides an important opportunity for audiences worldwide to discover the incredibly talented hip-hop artists emerging throughout the continent.”

Olivier Nusse, Chairman & CEO, Universal Music France said, “African hip-hop is one of the most exciting movements in music today. In recent years we have seen an increase in its popularity in France, but the appetite for African hip-hop continues to grow amongst audiences around the world. We are excited to further expand Def Jam Africa into Cameroon, Senegal and Côte d’Ivoire, and for these incredible artists to help build Def Jam Africa into the authentic and collaborative home of hip-hop across all of Africa.”

New tracks from Suspect 95 – ‘Merc*On’; Tenor – ‘Ce Que Je Veux’ and Omzo Dollar – ‘Dictature 1’ are released today on Def Jam Africa.

 

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Funeral arrangements announced for late Nollywood actor Junior Pope

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The family of the late Nollywood actor, John Odonwodo, known as Junior Pope, has announced the details of his funeral arrangements following his tragic passing in a boat accident on the River Niger during a movie shoot. (more…)

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King Promise thrills fans at sold-out show in Singapore

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Ghanaian singer King Promise has made history by being the first Afrobeats star to headline a concert in Singapore. (more…)

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Ice Spice remix stamps Cash Cobain’s “Fisherrr” as the Song of the Summer

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Billboard Rookie of the Month, and multi-hyphenate NYC star, Cash Cobain has just linked up with Ice Spice for the long-awaited video remix for “Fisherrr”(feat. BaySwag) [18m+ Streams]. After bubbling the past few years with R-rated anthems over his own ethereal production – creating the playful “sexy drill” sound that he’s pioneered and taken to mainstream heights, Cash Cobain is stamping himself as a serious song of the summer contender with this remix.

Following up his two smash singles “Dunk Contest” (8m+) and “Fisherrr” (pronounced, ‘for sure), Cash is primed for his moment in the spotlight ––  hitting 1M Monthly Listeners on Spotify, Top 3 NYC Shazam Charts, having occupied the #1 + #3 slots of the NYC Apple Music Charts, hitting #45 on the Urban Radio Charts and counting, and now landing Ice Spice’s third feature ever  –– in the words of COMPLEX, “the summer of 2024 is looking very slizzy”. On the highly-anticipated remix, Ice Spice is simply in top-tier shape.

Adding her signature magnetic ‘it-girl’ flair, charming cadence, and instantly-coinable one-liners, she bolsters the lightning-hot single into astronomical territory with the opening lines –– “Got an attitude but I’m feelingless, so I ain’t mad at you, And I’m tatted too on this fatty-tude, I’m the baddest boo”.

The long-overdue collab from the two Bronx natives is seamless, with her being a tailor-fit alongside the ethereal, dreamy production and silky smooth verses from Bay Swag and Cash. With the recent releases of “Dunk Contest” (watch Genius ‘Open Mic’)  and now the Ice Spice-assisted remix for “Fisherrr” (feat. BaySwag), Cash Cobain is using his collaborative momentum from last year to continue elevating his signature sound, showcasing its influential and ever-growing widespread appeal in the process. In the words of Cash:“It’s a beautiful record. It feels amazing, it feels like NYC is back stronger than ever with me and Spice -– two Bronx legends. Get ready for the song of the summer.” 

Last month, Cash took over NYC with his birthday show, ‘Slizzyfest’ at Irving Plaza –– a night that was slated as a stacked lineup of NY’s finest, with rumors of an A-list superstar surprise set. After chatter spread online and the hype reached a fever pitch, the crowd became too much to handle and the show was ultimately canceled –– but Cash wanted to give the fans their money’s worth so he ventured into Union Square and threw a makeshift show with his crew, a Bluetooth speaker, and hundreds of adoring fans (read ‘I Went to Cash Cobain’s Slizzyfest and All I Got Was That Classic NYC Feeling’ via Rolling Stone + statement in Billboard).

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Also in Billboard, Cash recently teased potential collaborations with Frank Ocean, Travis Scott, Don Toliver (seen filming a music video here), Lil Yachty and more –– a surefire sign of the worldwide stardom soon to come. These recent releases arrive on the heels of a career-defining year in 2023 that closed with the production of PinkPantheress“Nice To Meet You” (feat. Central Cee), which debuted at #20 on Billboard Hot 100 (he also starred alongside her in a nationally-syndicated Apple commercial for the new MacBook).

This was preceded by producing Drake’s “Calling For You” (feat. 21 Savage), which debuted at #5 on the Billboard Hot 100, DJ’ing at Travis Scott‘s Cactus Jack x Audemars Piguet event, and releasing his critically-acclaimed debut solo album Pretty Girls Love Slizzy with Giant Music.

Please find links to stream the new “Fisherrr” Remix (feat. Ice Spice) below, and stay tuned for more announcements:

“FISHERRR” REMIX (FEAT. ICE SPICE) – OUT NOW
WATCHLISTEN
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Tobinco Pharmaceuticals LTD donates drugs worth GHc 155k to Lekma Hospital in celebration of World Malaria Day.

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In commemoration of World Malaria Day, Tobinco Pharmaceuticals Limited exemplified its commitment to healthcare by donating an anti-malaria drug worth GH155,000 to the LEKMA Hospital in Teshie. (more…)

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Celestine Donkor Sets the Record Straight on Weight Loss Surgery Speculation

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Award-winning Ghanaian artist, Celestine Donkor has addressed speculations regarding her potential pursuit of weight loss surgery, clarifying that she hasn’t made any decisions in that regard. (more…)

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Akua Music unveils heartfelt music video for hit single ‘Miss You Bad’

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Akua Music, the acclaimed singer-songwriter known for her soulful melodies and emotive lyrics, has just released the highly anticipated music video for her latest single, ‘Miss You Bad.’ The video, directed by Joseph Amino, captures the essence of the song’s message and showcases the singer’s raw talent and creativity. (more…)

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