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Los Angeles– It’s been 25 long years since Def Jam first emerged on the scene, and introduced the world to its fresh brand of hip-hop, cementing itself as the most important label in all of rap music. And last night, the label properly celebrated its birthday and also kicked off the BET Awards weekend with Myspace Music Presents: Def Jam 25 Live at the Avalon in Hollywood.
Ace Hood, Jeremih and Fabolous were among the performers that celebrated their label home’s 25th, and many celebrities walked the red carpet, including Ace Hood, QD3, Mistah FAB and Ron Artest. Of course, the venue quickly reached capacity, as it was one of the hottest parties of the night, a testament to the staying power of one of the biggest labels in music.
“Def Jam is so important,” QD3, son of Quincy Jones and accomplished movie producer, says. “I remember buying LL Cool J’s maroon albums.”
The label, which is home to some of the most important artists and songwriters in music, including, Ne-Yo, the-Dream and Nas, remains on the cusp of innovation and creativity, and shows no signs of slowing in the future, with anticipated albums from Fabolous (Loso’s Way due out July 28) and Ace Hood (Ruthless due out June 30).
But although the night was full of smiles and nostalgia, the tone remained relatively somber, as people remembered Michael Jackson and his legacy.
“He’s been a family friend since I was little boy,” QD3 said. “It’s tragic.”
Mistah FAB agreed, highlighting the King of Pop’s incredible musical legacy.
“He sold 750 million albums,” he said, pausing to let the number sink in. “Really that says it all.” –jh
Stay tuned to rolling out for more exclusive coverage of the BET Awards weekend.
