With Def Jam celebrating its 35th anniversary in 2019, RosenbergвЂ™s focus has been bridging the labelвЂ™s past with its future. In that time, heвЂ™s also seen Eminem release two albums in the span of less than year, with 2017вЂ™s вЂњRevivalвЂќ and 2018вЂ™s вЂњKamikaze.вЂќ Rosenberg became CEO of the iconic Def Jam Records label in 2018 and, since taking over the position, has signed more than 20 artists.

Additionally, the two co-founded Shady Records, which helped launch the career of 50 Cent and led Rosenberg to form his own management firm Goliath Artists that represents Eminem, Blink-182, Three 6 Mafia and more.

Rosenberg set out to be the rapperвЂ™s attorney, and it turned into a loyal, fruitful partnership, with Rosenberg serving as EmвЂ™s manager for more than two decades. вЂњHe was selling it literally hand-to-hand to people and to stores, whoever would take it,вЂќ Rosenberg recalled. вЂњBut I thought he was really good.вЂќ The two stayed in touch and soon after when Eminem released his debut independent album вЂњInfinite,вЂќ Rosenberg purchased a cassette tape from him for six dollars. вЂњThe Red Sea did not part, the sun did not shine out of the heavens and make me realize that this was the next biggest artist,вЂќ Rosenberg confessed of his first time watching the future superstar perform. Rosenberg, who also had aspirations of becoming a rapper when he was a freshman in college, was invited to watch a then-undiscovered Marshall Mathers perform after the battle, painting a picture of the young rapper with a shaved head and wearing an all-white sweat suit. A clothing and music store by day, it doubled as a venue that hosted rap battles every Saturday night. Rosenberg met Eminem in 1996 in their native Detroit at the Hip Hop Shop. On the pop side, Jay-Z is credited with discovering the top-selling pop act Rihanna, and as a performer he lent his skills to an array of Universal acts, even rapping on a version of вЂњRehab,вЂќ the best-selling single from Amy Winehouse, the British retro-soul singer.And thatвЂ™s precisely what he did. The rap act Young Jeezy enjoyed a smash debut but a modest follow-up album and sales of rappers like Freeway and Beanie Sigel have been slow. Under his leadership, Def Jam released two top-selling albums from Kanye West, the producer turned rapper who first came to Def Jam through Jay-ZвЂ™s own imprint, Roc-a-Fella Records.Д«ut elsewhere, Jay-ZвЂ™s results have ranged from muddled to lackluster. Though Universal pursued Jay-Z as an executive so that he could imbue Def JamвЂ™s then-uncertain rap business with credibility, he leaves with a mixed legacy. It is not clear whether Universal will fill the job Jay-Z is vacating. His next move is unclear, though there has been speculation that he might strike a deal with the concert giant Live Nation, which has been seeking stakes in artistsвЂ™ various business lines beyond concerts. Gary He/Associated PressД«ut he is already one of musicвЂ™s most ambitious entrepreneurs, with business interests that include nightclubs, an investment in the New Jersey Nets and a fashion line. Jay-Z is not revealing his plans after he leaves Def Jam Recordings, but he will continue to record for the record label.

Def jam ceos