Rich Isaacson, who along with Steve Rifkind co-founded the influential hip-hop imprint Loud Records, has joined Def Jam Recordings as executive vp/general manager of the label, Billboard has confirmed. The Brooklyn-born, Long Island-raised industry veteran has most recently been at the helm of RI Entertainment, an artist management firm.
Isaacson is the first big hire under new Def Jam CEO Paul Rosenberg, who started this week at the Universal Music subsidiary, home to Justin Bieber, Big Sean, Kanye West and Logic, among others.
Rifkind and Isaacson launched Loud Records in 1991 and soon after signed Wu-Tang Clan ahead of its genre-reshaping debut, Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers). Other notable artists on its roster over the years included Mobb Deep, Three 6 Mafia, Xzibit and Dead Prez, among others.
After a decade at Loud and the Rifkind-founded street promotion company SRC, Isaacson turned his attention to marketing at the Fuerte Music Group, whose clients included Hollywood Records and Univision. He later reunited with Rifkind to launch the SRC label, which produced hit records by Akon, Melanie Fiona and David Banner.
At RI Entertainment, Isaacson's roster has included Mika, composer Gustavo Santaolalla, Charles Bradley and Canadian artist Bobby Bazini.
