Defiant Records Last updated October 21, 2025 American record label
Record label
Defiant Records is a joint venture record label formed in 2023 between Warner Records and Steven "Steve-O" Carless , President of A&R at Warner Records . [ 1] [ 2] It focuses on genres such as hip-hop, R&B soul, dancehall, jersey club and drill. [ 1]
The label was launched with Warner in September 2023 by Carless, an award winning executive who was previously worked at Atlantic Records , Def Jam Recordings , Republic Records , and Uptown Records . He has worked on projects with artists Pusha-T , Big Sean , YG , 2 Chainz , Nipsey Hussle , and Polo G . [ 3]
The label boasts newcomers Sha Ek, Groovy, DJ Sliink and MCvertt who was also nominated for a grammy in 2023.
Discography Albums Artist(s) Title Type Release date Singles Chart positions Certifications Refs . Bandmanrill "Club Godfather" Album October 28, 2022 — [ 6] Sha EK "Defiant Presents: COE" August 18, 2023 Album of The Year [ 7] Sha EK " Defiant Presents: Jiggy In Jersey" August 11, 2023 [ 8] Sha EK " Defiant Presents: Most Dangerous" March 17, 2023 [ 9] DJ Sliink "Defiant Presents: Bricks In The 6, DJ SLiink" September 8, 2023 [ 10] Bandmanrill "Defiant Presents: President OBandman, Bandmanrill & MCVertt" April 14, 2023 [ 8] Teejay "I Am Chippy" February 2, 2024 [ 11] Groovy "Crying In The Club" May 24, 2024 [ 12] Sha EK "Defiant Presents: Chain Gang Vol 1" February 26, 2025 [ 13]
Highlights In 2023, the label launched its first ever branded festival with WQHT Hot 97’s Summer Jam Stage featuring NLE Choppa, French Montana, Scar Lip, Sha EK, Bandmanrill, Kenzo B and MCVertt. [ 14]
Defiant Partners With Vybz Kartel In 2024, following the overturning of his 2014 conviction and subsequent release from prison, Jamaican dancehall artist Vybz Kartel partnered with Defiant Records, founded by Carless. Kartel's single "Pretty Girl," produced by Now or Never Miami and directed by Rizzy, marked his first release under this new arrangement with Defiant Records. [ 15] [ 16]
Chart Positions Number #1 Billboard's Heatseekers Album for Sha EK "Face of The What" 2022 [ 17]
Number #2 Billboard's Dance/Electronic Digital Song for DJ Sliink & Bandmanrill "Real Hips 2" single 2023 [ 18]
Number #3 Billboard's Rap/Hip-Hop Digital Song for MCvertt's "Face Down" ft Sexyy Red & Asap Ferg single [ 19]
Number #27 Billboard's Tik Tok Top 50 Chart MCvertt "Face Down" ft Sexyy Red & Asap Ferg [ 20]
Number #1 Most Added Record for Groovy's "Jersey Luv" at Urban AC radio chart [ 21]
Singles “It’s About Time. 2023
Crank Dat Too Oppy 2023 Shot in the Party 2023 [ 22] References 1 2 Lamarre, Carl (August 11, 2023). "Warner Records Launches Defiant Records With Steve 'Steve-O' Carless:" . Billboard . ↑ COM, WMG (August 11, 2023). "WARNER RECORDS SETS JOINT VENTURE WITH STEVE "STEVE-O" CARLESS'S DEFIANT RECORDS" . Warner Music Group . ↑ Aswad, Jem (August 11, 2023). "Music Industry Moves: Warner Unveils Defiant Records With Steve 'Steve-O' Carless; French Montana Joins Gamma" . Variety . ↑ Cabison, Rosalie (January 2, 2013). "Billboard 200™" . Billboard . Retrieved November 3, 2023 . ↑ Major, Michael (September 2, 2022). "Sha Ek Drops New Mixtape 'Face of the What' . Broadway World . Retrieved October 6, 2022 . ↑ Green, Dylan (November 10, 2022). "Bandmanrill: Club Godfather" . Pitchfork . Retrieved March 15, 2025 . ↑ "Courtlandt Over Everything" . Album of The Year . Retrieved March 15, 2025 . 1 2 Hussey, Allison; Allison Hussey, Matthew Strauss (June 2, 2023). "Bandmanrill, Sha EK, and MCVertt Announce New Mixtape, Share "Pistons" Video" . Pitchfork . Retrieved March 15, 2025 . ↑ "DOWNLOAD: Defiant Presents x Sha EK Most Dangerous (Jersey Club Version) EP" . LifeStyle . April 26, 2023. Retrieved March 15, 2025 . ↑ "DJ Sliink & Defiant Presents" . Album of The Year . Retrieved March 15, 2025 . ↑ Mallick, Dani (June 21, 2023). "Teejay Finds His Own Lane At Warner Music, Signs Publishing And Record Deal" . DancehallMag . Retrieved March 15, 2025 . ↑ Minor, Camille (September 13, 2024). "GU Jams: Discovering The Creative Genius Of Groovy And His Luv Club Sound" . Girls United . Retrieved March 15, 2025 . ↑ "Sha Ek Teams up with Defiant Presents to Release "Chain Gang (Vol. 1)" . The Royalty Network, Inc . March 7, 2025. Retrieved March 15, 2025 . ↑ staff (June 4, 2023). "NLE Choppa, 2Rare and Sha EK start off Summer Jam" . HOT 97 . Retrieved October 20, 2025 . ↑ Denis, Kyle (May 21, 2025). "Vybz Kartel Announces The Worl' Boss Tour: Here Are the Dates" . Billboard . Retrieved May 24, 2025 . ↑ Jones, Okla (May 21, 2025). "Vybz Kartel Reclaims His Throne With New Single "Pretty Girl" . Essence . Retrieved May 24, 2025 . ↑ Jawnson, Kershaw St (December 7, 2022). "Sha EK Charts #1 On Billboard Heatseekers Chart Days Before Release Of 'RETURN OF THE JIGGY' . AllHipHop . Retrieved October 20, 2025 . ↑ Zellner, Xander (August 3, 2023). "10 First-Timers on Billboard's Charts This Week: Cut Worms, Malakai, Parannoul, Bandmanrill & More" . Billboard . Retrieved October 20, 2025 . ↑ Zellner, Xander (August 9, 2023). "10 First-Timers on Billboard's Charts This Week: Dylan Gossett, MCVERTT, Dennis Quaid, Flamy Grant & More" . Billboard . Retrieved October 20, 2025 . ↑ Cabison, Rosalie (August 30, 2023). "TikTok Billboard Top 50" . Billboard . Archived from the original on December 7, 2024. Retrieved October 20, 2025 . ↑ "U.S. Radio Updater" . X (formerly Twitter) . Archived from the original on April 22, 2025. Retrieved October 20, 2025 . ↑ "Sha Ek: The Bronx Drill Star Taking the Rap Industry by Storm" . September 27, 2023. This page is based on this
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