Def Jam Recordings Expands Into China

Universal Music Group (UMG) has launched a new Chinese arm of Def Jam Recordings. Three special guest curators for the new imprint have been announced as well: Xie Di (谢帝), Yitai Wang (王以太), and Deng Dianguo “DDG” (邓典果DDG).

The details:

• Def Jam Recordings China will focus on signing “Guofeng Hip-hop.”

• According to a press release from UMG, the term refers to hip-hop made with “Chinese language, cultural references, and storytelling traditions, while engaging with modern production approaches and global music trends.”

• The label will work closely with Migu, a China Mobile digital content platform, on business operations such as talent discovery, marketing and distribution, and live performances.

What they said:

• Tunji Balogun, Chairman & CEO, Def Jam Recordings: “Def Jam has always been built around dynamic voices — artists who speak directly from their own communities, languages, and lived realities. Def Jam Recordings China continues that tradition by putting local culture at the centre of the music. The goal is not to copy what’s worked elsewhere, but to support Chinese artists in defining hip-hop on their own terms, in ways that feel authentic, contemporary, and culturally grounded.”

• Zhu Hong, Chairman of Migu Music: “Guofeng has become a vital expression within China’s contemporary music landscape and an important driver of cultural innovation. Through our collaboration with Universal Music China, Migu Music aims to develop a distinctive Guofeng hip-hop brand that blends international influence with China’s evolving youth culture. By leveraging global distribution, we seek to bring Guofeng music more broadly, while supporting Chengdu’s development as an international city of music and the global impact of Chinese music culture.”