Vince Staples leaves Def Jam with final release after 11 years on the label

Vince Staples has announced an amicable split from Def Jam.

Vince Staples has left Def Jam with his final release after 11 years on the label. In a heartfelt message on Instagram, the artist touches on the impact the label has had on him throughout the course of his career. Before parting ways with the label, he has promised fans one final album project via the affluent imprint titled ‘Dark Times’ which was released on May 24th.

The California native has released a wide array of singles and albums these past 11 years on Def Jam – seemingly never failing to impress his audience. Keen on collaboration, Vince Staples has made songs with Billie Eilish, A$AP Rocky, Lil Baby, and many more artists. Moreover, his albums have always had a distinct flair, like the eponymous one, ‘Vince Staples’.

Def Jams, owned by Universal Music Group, was founded by the eminent Rick Rubin in the early 1980s. Fast forward to the 2010s, Def Jams Records had cemented its reputation as a hip-hop bastion. Currently, the record label represents the likes of Justin Bieber, DJ Khaled, Big Sean, and of course Vince Staples. 

The venerable label has left a large imprint on Vince Staples, as he started to get his footing over a decade ago. Poignantly, in his Instagram post (seen below), he writes, “Eleven years ago, a young, uncertain version of myself was  given an opportunity with Def Jam Recordings.” Inevitably and clearly, the artist had fallen into a stride with Def Jam and has since found himself as an artist.

Over the course of his illustrious career, the singer has accrued over 4 million monthly listeners on Spotify. He has played at major festivals like Coachella, SnowGlobe, and many more. He has also set high expectations for his Lollapalooza set this year.

Evidently, many relationships must come to their natural conclusion. Vince Staples and Def Jams have enjoyed each other’s company for just over a decade. The journey forward for both parties is sure to be prosperous.

Jack Newman

Like many others, I often dive into a variety of music genres and explore, as best I can, what resonates while I listen. For me, EDM is a dense subset of music with unique artistry and textured sounds – a facet of melody and tune that I will always investigate.

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