Tunji Balogun: Def Jam ‘pushing into Afrobeats’

The music executive shared this in a recent interview with the UK trade publication Music Week, adding that his outfit will continue to “be at the cutting edge of where the music is at, while also staying heavy in hip hop, pop and everything that we’ve been doing.”

Touching on his proudest achievements at Def Jam, Balogun noted the success in breaking new artists who honour the label’s legacy while innovating with their own sound.

“I’m just proud that we’re marching forward, and we have a set of young artists that I feel like, with the right amount of focus and energy, can become legends like the people that came before them,” he said. “So that’s what we’re focused on. It’s about balancing the past and the legacy and the heritage, but trying to keep the brand fresh and imaginative and new and pushing forward.”

The statement reinforces Balogun’s vision from a May interview with Billboard, where he outlined his goal for Def Jam’s next 40 years to become the leading platform for the next generation of global Black music, embracing diverse genres while continuing the label’s legacy.

“I truly believe that we are the only major label that’s synonymous with pushing Black music forward,” he told Billboard.

In 2020, Goldman Sachs estimated that the music industry will reach $80 billion by 2030, with Afrobeats playing a key role as one of the most significant global music genres. Spotify documented a 550% increase in Afrobeats streams from 2017 to 2022, registering over 14 billion times on the platform in 2023. Vevo also reported a 61% increase in Afrobeats and South African dance genre amapiano music video views since 2022, with these genres achieving nearly 4 billion global views across its catalogue last year.

According to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry’s (IFPI) 2024 Global Music Report, sub-Saharan Africa was the only region to exceed 20% growth, with revenues climbing by 24.7%, driven by a 24.5% increase in paid streaming revenues. The region was also the fastest-growing in 2022, posting a 34.7% increase.

Since its inception in 2020, Def Jam’s Africa division – with operations in South Africa, Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Senegal and Cameroon – has concentrated on Afrobeats, African hip hop and trap. Notable signings include South African rappers Cassper Nyovest and Nasty C, as well as Nigeria’s Adekunle Gold and Odumodublvck via Native Records.

Back in April, Senegalese DJ, producer and music executive Binetou Sylla was announced to lead the label’s French-speaking Africa to ensure that its Francophone artists are “uniquely positioned to reach the largest possible global audience.”

Read Balogun’s full Music Week interview here.