As announced earlier this week, famed rapper Jay-Z has made the bold decision to abandon his position as President of the Def Jam record label. However, buzz has been wildly generating regarding the matter of successor. Who will fill Jay’s big shoes with the label?

The first names that tickled the gossipy tongues of many rap aficionados this week include Jimmy “Henchman” Rosemond, Damon Dash, and Jermaine Dupri. All of the aforementioned have been the prospective heirs to the throne dating back months before Jay made his official announcement to leave.

Rosemund was initially the frontrunner for the position that Jermaine Dupri recently abandoned at Virgin records. After Dupri called it quits with his long-time label, the word spread that Rosemund was the most fit to take on the job. However, when Jay-Z announced his departure from Def Jam, Rosemund’s eyes drew to the bigger prize, and he set his sights on Jay’s job, not JD’s.

At present, JD works as the acting president of Island Urban Music, a label connected to Universal. Considering that Island Urban and Def Jam are located in the same building, the move would hardly be a big one for JD ? and would reportedly please Jay-Z as he had originally suggested that he and JD co-head Def Jam when he first got the job.

But, according to MTV News, fans and rappers might agree the most probable choice will be Damon Dash, Jay’s long-time pal.

In a release from Jay-Z given earlier this week, he stated that his official retirement will not become effective until the first of January, so the new face of Def Jam will likely be withheld from fans and eager hopefuls like JD, Dash and Rosemund until then as well.






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