SA: Nasty C inks Def Jam deal, releases new single

The artists made his official US debut when his new single 'There They Go' premiered on Apple Music Beats 1 with Ebro Darden on 26 March.

“It’s powerful to be a part of the Def Jam family,” Nasty C said. “It’s an iconic record label and has made the careers of many of the artists I look up to.” Def Jam retweeted with the caption: “Let’s go!”

Big artists signed to Def Jam include Justin Bieber, Logic, Big Sean and Kanye West, among many others.

“We are thrilled to welcome South African superstar Nasty C to the UMG [Universal Music Group] and Def Jam family,” UMG said.

Def Jam Recordings interim chairperson and CEO Jeff Harleston said: "Nasty C is a unique and forward-thinking artist who is at the forefront of a new generation of rappers emerging from Africa. Def Jam is a globally recognised brand synonymous with excellence in hip hop, and we are excited to welcome Nasty C, an international star with real vision and talent, into the family."

‘There They Go' is off Nasty C's upcoming album Zulu Man With Some Power. The rapper first shared snippet videos of the new single on social media. The video for the song has also premiered on Trace Urban and was shot at a location in Nasty C’s hometown of Durban. The video was directed by Andrew Sandler, who has worked with such artists as Lil Wayne and Chris Brown.

The video premiered on YouTube at 9.30pm on 26 March and was sitting on about 70 000 views at the time of writing. UMG and Def Jam shared snippets of ‘There They Go’ on Twitter with the comment, “Family!”.

“Special thanks to God, my team and everybody listening,” Nasty C wrote.