Universal Music Group and multi-platform content company All Def Media have announced an expansion in their partnership that will include the development of long- and short-form video content, live events and social media content. In addition, UMG artists, both on the recorded and publishing side, will be able to participate in opportunities in film, television and digital media.
The companies are set to partner on three projects initially: “Crossroads 24,” which will feature Def Jam artists YG and Pusha T in a day-in-the-life formatted series; All Def’s “Live Leaks,” a performance show that will feature Interscope’s Rae Sremmurd and Smino; and “Plan B,” a program that promises to give “artists a chance to experiment with a second career choice.”
All Def harnesses the cultural impact of hip-hop in its entertainment offerings and generates more than 300 million monthly views on YouTube and Facebook for its programs, according to the announcement. All Def Media produces and distributes original content through its own media properties, social channels, traditional and premium TV networks — including HBO’s “All Def Comedy” — and theatrical films such as “Romeo is Bleeding” and “King of the Dancehall.” It also produces live events and manages a network of talent including social-video stars, stand-up comics, writers, actors, poets and hip-hop artists.
Said Celine Joshua, UMG’s General Manager of Commercial, Content & Artist Strategy, in announcing the partnership expansion: “Universal Music continues to push boundaries for our artists, the most creative storytellers in the industry, to produce premium video content that reach fans and new audiences around the world on any screen they chose. With Chris Blackwell and his team at ADM, we’re building on our already successful track record to expand into scripted and non-scripted programs that will soon be available across multiple global platforms. Video is essential to the future of our business, so whether vertical, short or long, I’m thrilled to work with our artists, labels and ADM to bring these exciting new projects to life for fans.”
