UMG Launches Def Jam India Amid Hip-Hop Boom

MUMBAI —Universal Music Group, already home to some of the biggest names in Indian hip-hop, are further seizing on the popularity of the genre there by starting a new label division, Def Jam India.

The new sub-label, to be based in Mumbai, will feature some popular commercial names and up-and-coming artists, but not necessarily household names like Badshah, with whom Universal is working to engineer a definitive crossover to international stardom.

Def Jam India “will be infused and inspired by local street and rap culture, Indian sounds and unique multi-lingual flows,” said Devraj Sanyal, managing director and CEO, Universal Music India and South Asia.

Def Jam India’s first artist signings are rappers Dino James and Fotty Seven. “Lost” from James and Fotty Seven’s “Banjo,” both of which are set to be released this month, will be the new sub-label’s first releases, Universal noted in a press release.

The launch of Def Jam India marks Universal India’s second international hip-hop sub-label following the launch of Mass Appeal in 2019, a landmark year for the genre in the country. That year saw the release of the Bollywood film Gully Boy, a box-office smash based on the lives of Mumbai-based rappers Naezy and Divine, the latter of whom was Mass Appeal India’s first signee.

Since then, hip-hop in Hindi and other Indian regional languages has grown in popularity to enjoy a space in India’s mainstream music hierarchy, sitting somewhere between film and commercial pop music and independent music. For instance, the current No. 1 song on both Spotify and Apple Music in India is “Excuses” by Canadian Punjabi hip-hop acts AP Dhillon, Gurinder Gill and Intense. Dhillon and his crew occupy 10 of the positions of Spotify’s top 100 and 20 spots on Apple Music’s top 100.

This week, independent rapper MC Stan is expected to debut atop Spotify India’s album chart with his new release Insaan, a feat that could make him only the second non-Punjabi hip-hop artist to crown the survey since Divine’s sophomore effort, Punya Paap, reigned in 2020.

Through the efforts of major record labels, including Universal, hip-hop is diversifying India’s movie-centric music scene, where Bollywood soundtracks have long dominated the music charts.

“In recent years we have seen an increase in demand for hip-hop in India, and beyond,” Adam Granite, Universal’s executive vp, market development, said in a statement. “UMG has committed to supporting and investing in the next wave of talent from the region for several years and has led the transition towards original artist culture and non-film music.”

Def Jam India’s arrival is another sign that Universal is staking its claim to become the country’s foremost label for Indian rap. Last July, Universal India inked a global deal with Badshah, who joined the label after six years at Sony.

With a subscriber base of over 5 million on his official channel on YouTube — by far India’s most widely used streaming service — Dino James is among India’s most popular hip-hop acts.

Fotty Seven, whose real name is Anki Gudwani, is among the genre’s fastest-rising MCs, having collaborated with bigger acts like Badshah and Mass Appeal’s Ikka. Apart from his solo alias, Fotty Seven is also part of Kaleshi Launde, a trio that includes Badshah and Bali. Fotty Seven’s 2020 single “Boht Tej” feat. Badshah now has over 20 million views on YouTube, making it his biggest hit to date. That same year, he put out his debut EP, Asli Independent, on the Indian indie label Kalamkaar.

Other major labels are also ramping up their hip-hop efforts in India, including Sony, which has partnerships with Kalamkaar, a label spearheaded by marquee Indian rapper Raftaar, and Big Bang Music, which is home to Naezy.

Def Jam, the label pioneered by icons like LL Cool J, Slick Rick, The Beastie Boys and Public Enemy, has exploited the streaming-driven rise in popularity of local-language music in Asia and other parts of the world by establishing outposts in emerging territories. Universal launched Def Jam Southeast Asia in Singapore in 2019 and Def Jam Africa in Johannesburg in 2020.

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