Def Jam, an foreign record label owned by Universal Music Group, also boasts of superstar alumni such as Jay Z, Rihanna and Kanye West
By Kehinde Okeowo
Popular Afrobeats singer, Adekunle Kosoko, better known as Adekunle Gold, has signed for American music label, Def Jam Recordings.
According to Billboard, Adekunle Gold has now joined the league of Nigerian artistes who signed for foreign record labels.
The news was further confirmed via a statement by the company’s Chief Executive Officer/Chairman, Tunji Balogun, who hailed the “High” crooner for his songwriting, artistry, vocals and showmanship.
“I’ve been following Adekunle Gold since I first heard his record ‘Sade’ in 2016,” he said. “Over the years, everything in AG’s world has elevated — his songwriting has refined, the scope of his artistry has widened, his vocals have strengthened, his approach to fashion is more distinct, and his showmanship and performance ability have grown exponentially,”
“He’s stepped into stardom on his own terms and is completely comfortable being his true self.”
ALSO READ: Atiku accuses Wike of abandoning duty for alcohol
Balogun, who described Kosoko as a perfect fit, also noted that the Nigerian singer has already built a huge fan base and promised to help him scale up his audience.
“Adekunle felt like the perfect fit – he’d already done so much work on his own to build a base, but I knew that we could scale his audience to an even bigger level if we combined our energies and worked together,” he added.
Reacting to the development, the singer expressed excitement over signing for the record label and getting to work with Balogun whom they shared Nigerian roots.
“He understands it,” Gold said. “So signing to Tunji makes sense. He’s like my studio buddy that just comes everywhere I go. The day he doesn’t have time to be there, I know he must’ve been like stupidly busy. He’s great.
“The track record is there. The history is there. They break artists, and they have niche, unique artists like me, so I think it’s the right move for me. All of the things that I’ve done for myself already, they know already and that’s why they’re on board.”
Def Jam, an American multinational record label owned by Universal Music Group, boasts of superstar alumni such as Jay Z, Rihanna and Kanye West.
