Def Jam launches in India, signs rappers Dino James and Fotty Seven

Revered hip-hop label Def Jam has launched in India with the signing of two artists: Dino James and Fotty Seven.

• READ MORE: Yung Raja: Singaporean hip-hop star sparks joy with dizzying Tamil and English raps

Per Universal Music Group’s announcement on February22, Def Jam India aims to boost awareness of Indian hip-hop and culture on a global scale, following the genre’s heightened popularity in the country in recent years.

Along with the launch of Def Jam India come two new flagship signees: Dino James and Fotty Seven. Both rappers are slated to release their debut tracks with the label – Dino James’ ‘Lost’ and Fotty Seven’s ‘Banjo’ – this month.

“The launch of Def Jam India marks a pivotal point in that transition, as we look to bring Hip-Hop into the Indian mainstream and further expand the profile of Indian music around the world,” said UMG executive vice president of Market Development Adam Granite.

Dino James, who hails from Madhya Pradesh, burst onto the Indian hip-hop scene in 2016 with the single, ‘Loser’. Since then, the rapper has released hit single after hit single, garnering nearly 1million monthly listeners on streaming platforms without releasing an EP or album.

Fotty Seven debuted in 2018 with the track ‘Koi Baat Nahi’. In 2020, he released his debut six-track EP, ‘Asli Independent’. Apart from his hard-hitting bars, Fotty Seven is known for his bilingual lyrics.

Def Jam India is the global hip-hop label’s latest expansion into South Asia, following a Southeast Asian launch in 2019, covering Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines and Thailand. Def Jam Vietnam launched a year later.

Prominent rappers in Def Jam Southeast Asia’s roster include Joe Flizzow (also the SEA outpost’s managing director), Yung Raja, A. Nayaka, Alyph, SYA, PRADAA, SeaChains, Ben Utomo, Tiffany Lhei and more.

The post Def Jam launches in India, signs rappers Dino James and Fotty Seven appeared first on NME.