(CelebrityAccess MediaWire) — Def Jam Recordings, the largest producer of urban music and a division of Universal Music Group, is launching Roc La Familia. The first artist signed is Houston-based Columbian rapper Azteck Escobar.
All artists signed to Roc La Familia, which will have its headquarters in New York, will receive marketing, sales and distribution support from Def Jam. Roc La Familia will feature a broad selection of artists encompassing such musical genres as reggae, reggaeton, calypso, tribal and West Indian.
"Everybody talks about the world getting smaller, well we are doing something about it," said Shawn Carter, president/CEO, Roc-A-Fella Records and Def Jam Recordings. ""Roc La Familia will leverage the extensive resources of Def Jam to introduce fans to cultures that they would not normally be exposed. World Music has evolved as a genre, it now blends contemporary styles such as hip-hop, rock and electronica with traditional and roots music."
"I'm happy to open doors to artists of diverse cultures such as Aztek Escobar, a rapper born in the U.S. with Colombian heritage," said Juan Perez, president, Roc La Familia.
"I got the name Aztek Escobar when an OG Mexican gave me the name because he said I was a warrior," said Escobar. "Aztec is an old tribe that used guerilla tactics and since I was always fighting he called me 'Little Aztek.' When he passed away, I took that name as a real personal thing. People don't really know about the 'chopped and screwed' style. I want to introduce that and my own style to the whole country."
Escobar recently released his first official mixtape, containing the track "Problem Houston" featuring Jay-Z.
Additional Roc La Familia signings and releases will be announced shortly. –Jane Cohen and Bob Grossweiner
