Def Jam Recordings is an American record label, focused predominantly on hip hop and urban music, owned by Universal Music Group, and operates as part of The Island Def Jam Music Group. In the UK, the label takes on the name Def Jam UK and is operated through Virgin EMI.

Frank Ocean has character. He's rare. In a world that divvies up art by genre, that constantly seeks to quantify cool, he is impossible to miss, like a panda bear in a pine forest. And over the past year or so, he's become harder and harder to ignore. Frank had long labored behind the curtain—writing for Brandy, Justin Bieber, and John Legend—but after hooking up with L.A.'s Odd Future collective, he self-released 2011's nostalgia, ULTRA. mixtape, and his own star quickly rose. Original songs like "Novacane" and "Swim Good" showcased his knack for riveting storytelling and arrangement, climbed the R&B charts, and led to collaborations with Beyoncé, and Kanye West and Jay-Z. But Frank isn't about accolades and accomplishments. He's a less-is-more kind of guy, the quiet type who saves his words because his songs tell us as much about him as they do ourselves. His live show emphasizes that intimacy, closes that razor-thin gap between the man and his fans. Because as rare as he is, Frank Ocean is also familiar, both in the way he moves among us, undeniably a product of this post-everything, hustle-hard, DIY musical moment, and in the way he conveys that quality that we're all always seeking: utter timelessness.

Kanye West has proven time and time again that as a soloist, he can single-handedly shift rap’s sonic focus, but over the past year Yeezy made sure that there wasn’t anybody messin’ with his clique. So even during a period when he put out G.O.O.D. Music’s Cruel Summercompilation, ‘Ye was enough of a force to land him at #7 on the ”Hottest MCs in the Game VIII,” MTV’s hip-hop power rankin.

Shaffer Chimere Smith better known by his stage name Ne-Yo, is a Grammy Award winning American R&B recording artist, record producer, dancer and actor. Beginning his career as a songwriter, Ne-Yo penned the hit "Let Me Love You" for singer Mario.

Shawn Corey Carter, better known by his stage name Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is one of the most financially successful hip-hop artists and entrepreneurs in America.

Sean Michael Anderson, better known by his stage name Big Sean, is an American rapper. Big Sean signed with Kanye West's GOOD Music in 2007, and then in 2008 signed with Def Jam Recordings