Changes Atop The Def Jam Pyramid?

At press time, RAMP was still awaiting official confirmation, but several industry publications, including Variety are reporting that Eminem‘s longtime manager Paul Rosenberg will become the new CEO of Def Jam Recordings, effective in January 2018. The report also says current Def Jam CEO Steve Bartels will continue to run the label until the end of the year. Again, we must stress that we have yet to receive any definitive word or a press release from the Def Jam camp.

Rosenberg, 46, is a co-founder of Eminem’s Shady Records, CEO of Goliath Artist Management and is a co-producer for SiriusXM’s Shade 45 channel. He will continue to manage Eminem.

Bartels previously served as President & COO of the former Island Def Jam Music Group (IDJMG) until April 2014, when Universal Music Group reorganized its East Coast recorded music operations and dissolved the former Island Def Jam Music Group and re-established Def Jam Recordings, Island Records and Motown Records as stand-alone labels within the UMG family. As a result of the restructuring, Bartels was named CEO of Def Jam, which was founded in 1983 by Rick Rubin and Russell Simmons. We continue to stand by for further information from Def Jam.