Dancehall artist Masicka has signed a deal with the legendary hip-hop record label Def Jam Records.
The “Just A Minute” artist appeared to confirm the deal, which fans have speculated about for months now. The American label, which was founded by Rick Rubin and Russell Simmons, is hip-hop-focused and is now owned by Universal Music. The label, which was previously led by Jay-Z and home to the likes of Rihanna and Ne-Yo, has made a name for itself in the hip-hop world with Public Enemy, LL Cool J, DMX, and many others.
Over the weekend, Masicka promoted a new single, “Pieces,” featuring Jahshii, which seemed to confirm his new relationship with Def Jam. The song has since been released with an accompanying music video.
Def Jam have officially confirmed the deal on Tuesday via their Instagram account. While the details of the deal is yet to be made public, it’s suspected that the deal may have been in the making for months now and the reason that Masicka did not respond to Skeng dissing him late last year.
“Def Jam has always been the home for great artists across the wide spectrum of Black music, and Masicka is very much emblematic of that vision,” the chairman and CEO of Def Jam Recordings, Tunji Balogun, said in a statement via Variety. “Representing the new wave of Jamaican dancehall and reggae, Masicka’s versatility and unique sonic perspective has the potential to impact markets all over the world. It feels like the beginning of something very special. We’re excited to welcome him to our Def Jam family.”
The deal comes following the massive success of Masicka’s debut album, 438, which was adjudged one of the best dancehall albums in 2022 and in the 2010-2022 decade.
The album was released via his Genahsyde/1Syde Records and peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Reggae Albums chart. The album also sold more records than any other dancehall album released in 2022, with 35,000 units/ equivalents sold.
In the meantime, the latest collaboration with Jahshii on “Pieces” brings together the two artists speaking about their respective backgrounds and struggles that brought the ‘pieces’ of their lives together, with themes of family being prominent for both artists.
Meanwhile, Masicka is one of a few Jamaican artists who are currently signed to Def Jam. These include Buju Banton and DJ Khaled, who were recently named in consultant positions at the label. While DJ Khaled wasn’t born in Jamaica, he built his career on Jamaican music culture.
