Started in early 2000 by El-P (fomer Company Flow producer/frontman and indie music icon) and his manager, Amaechi Uzoigwe, Definitive Jux has quickly become one of the most talked about labels, indie or otherwise, in the music business.

Founded on the belief that there is a new way to make, market and sell music, Definitive Jux has tapped into an pent up energy in the marketplace, one that has been looking for something new and exciting to get a hold of. Featuring indie hip hop all-stars such as El-P, Aesop Rock, Cannibal Ox, RJD2, Mr. Lif, MURS, the Smash Brothers and more, Definitive Jux is already responsible for some of the most important hip hop music of this young decade. Having confounded the industry by making the kind of music we want to make and then successfully selling it, we’ve been able to construct a worldwide network of fans and business relationships based on the collective belief that we can create something new, different and, ultimately, appealing to a wide range of music fans. From hip hop kids to X-treme sports fans, urban hipsters to suburban curiosity seekers, celebrities to music snobs, all have found something important, exciting, and compelling in the DJX world. Our artists even get fan mail from the soldiers fighting in Afghanistan, letting them know how much their music inspires them. Those are the kind of compliments that hit home in a big way. 

DJX and its artists have received quite a bit of media exposure in the past 2 years. From full page features in magazines like Rolling Stone, Spin, Gear, to covers of smaller magazines like URB, The Wire, Juice and others. We’ve been profiled in Vibe, The Source, XXL, Entertainment Weekly, Blender, Paper, XLR8R, The New York Times, LA Times, Village Voice, Nylon, Complex, The Fader and many more. Details magazine has selected Mr. Lif to feature in its ‘Back to School’ edition this fall which will be seen by more than 1 million people. We also recently taped a feature on the TV show “Hip Hop Nation” which airs on NBC after Saturday Night Live in most markets, and are currently looking to place on of the acts on the Conan O’Brien Show. Our latest video, El-P’s “Deep Space 9mm” is receiving kudos from all around, even though you won’t see it on MTV due to it’s controversial (although not negative) content. It was directed by former Spike Jonz protégé Brian Beletic, who’s shot videos for CeeLo, Dead Prez, Black-Eyed Peas and is currently directing the new Levis Jeans campaign. RJD2 is making noise globally and was just asked to remix the new single from R&B sensation Craig David. Meanwhile, El-P is co-producing the solo album for Zach de la Rocha (ex-Rage Against the Machine), co-producing an album with Dan the Automator (Gorillaz) for MCA and releasing a ‘Best of El-P’ instrumental album on Virgin. Elvis Costello has been constantly mentioning El-P in the press for his new album, as well. The label and the artists can count among fans such luminaries as Radiohead, Eminem, DJ Shadow, Bjork, The RZA, Mos Def, Primal Scream, Baz Luhrman (Moulin Rouge director), Chuck D, the Beastie Boys, The Strokes (who wear a DJX hat in their new video), and many more. 

And its not all just hype. In 2 short years, the label has accumulated over 2 million dollars in sales, which we expect to double next year alone. With a loyal fan base of 250,000 strong worldwide, we have been able to make an impact at retail and gain the confidence and support of major chains such as Virgin, Best Buy, Wherehouse, etc…, in addition to the lock down we have on indie retailers. From consistently hitting the Billboard charts with all of our releases to occupying the upper echelon (and generally the #1 spot) on college and indie radio for months at a time, the label is poised to break out. In addition to our core markets of major metropolitan areas, we will be focusing on secondary markets and suburban outreach in our next phase of marketing. We have a national tour scheduled for Fall 2002 and a European tour scheduled for November 2002. We have a national street and marketing company (MetroConcepts) working 10 major markets on a monthly basis and we’ve recently created the DefCon:National Street Army, which is comprised of 80+ soldiers nationwide, mostly college students, committed to bringing our mission to all corners of the country. With a little luck, next year will be an even bigger one for us than this year has been. Not bad for a group of guys with a dream and the desire to make it happen.

Submitted by: admin