Issa Rae’s Raedio Inks Multi-Year Partnership With Def Jam (EXCLUSIVE)

Jem Aswad
·2 min read
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Raedio, the “audio everywhere” division of Issa Rae’s Hoorae Media, has announced a multi-year deal with Def Jam Recordings. The partnership will give Raedio the opportunity to sign, market, and distribute signed artists through Def Jam’s network, according to the announcement. It includes publishing, music supervision, music library, podcasts, digital content and events divisions.

Raedio’s “symbiotic pipeline to Hoorae Media’s ecosystem of film, television production and talent management divisions provides a unique all-in-one infrastructure paving the way for a new, disruptive approach to music label models,” the announcement states.

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“Our mission at Raedio is to continually evolve how and where people discover music and the opportunities for artists behind it,” says Raedio President Benoni Tagoe. “Def Jam is the perfect partner with a storied legacy to align with Raedio’s mission and vision of disrupting the music industry as we know it. Together, we look forward to expanding our reach and fostering a creative home for our new artists.”

Raedio General Manager Christina “Xtina” Prince added, “This partnership is exactly what we needed to expand and continue our mission to be a vessel and impactful resource for artists across the globe. I am thrilled to join forces with Tunji, Latrice and some of the brightest executives in the business at Def Jam at what is, clearly, an exciting time for both Def Jam and Raedio. It’s clear our visions to lead with taste and integrity align perfectly. Excited to see what we do together.”

“Issa Rae is one of the most talented, respected and versatile creative leaders working in entertainment today,”  said Def Jam chairman and CEO, Tunji Balogun. “Her passion for artistry and authentic storytelling puts Black creators and creatives at the center of an expansive world, where they resonate deeply with her audience. Raedio exemplifies Issa’s savvy, strategic and forward-thinking approach to building culture and community, aligning all of her verticals into one powerful audio ecosystem. Def Jam is thrilled to partner with Issa and the incredible team at Raedio on this new venture, and we look forward to telling more amazing stories together.”

Raedio struck a multi-project development deal with Audible to create original content in January of last year. The company’s previous label partner was Atlantic Records, via an agreement announced in October of 2019.

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