Warner Records officially announces Defiant Records, a joint venture led by Steve “Steve-O” Carless, President of A&R, Warner Records. To help mark the occasion, the influential record executive and 2023 Billboard R&B/Hip Hop Power Player is proud to announce the release of Defiant Presents: Jiggy In Jersey (ft. MCVERTT), which pairs emerging producer and artist MCVERTT with rappers Bandmanrill and Sha EK, making for a project on the cutting edge of Jersey Club music, New York Drill—and Hip-Hop dance.
Steven “Steve-O” Carless has held senior leadership roles and delivered commercial A&R success across the Major Label business – including Atlantic Records, Def Jam Recordings, Republic Records, and Uptown Records – before accepting the President of A&R role at Warner Records in September 2021. Across his career, he has guided the careers of culturally significant and iconic artists including Pusha-T, Big Sean, YG, 2 Chainz Nipsey Hussle and Polo G. Steven and Nipsey Hussle co-founded The Marathon Agency together and he continues to play a role in safeguarding the legacy and estate of Nipsey Hussle.
“Defiant will be filled with individuals who are always challenging the status quo, always going to be in an innovation phase of their career,” says Carless.
Bandmanrill, Sha Ek, and MCVERTT fill dancefloors on both sides of the Hudson with their fiery mix of drill music and Jersey club. Combining their efforts to create a supersized collaboration chock full of East Coast bangers, the Tri-State trio share Defiant Presents: Jiggy In Jersey (ft. MCVERTT), executive-produced by MCVERTT, a 28-track project that defines the developing hybrid genre.
The Defiant Presents: Jiggy In Jersey ft. MCVERTT project arrives on the heels of the recent “Face Down” single which features signature MCVERTT production with Sexyy Red and A$AP Ferg spitting flames on the certified Jersey Club scorcher. MCVERTT is on fire this year, most notably co-producing Lil Uzi Vert’s RIAA Triple Platinum smash “Just Wanna Rock.” The new Defiant Presents: Jiggy In Jersey project was also preceded by lead single “Pistons,” for which MCVERTT crafted a lush and propulsive backing track, combining sweeping strings with sliding 808s to create a symphony of drill. On the track, Bandmanrill and Sha EK join forces to go toe-to-toe in a joint effort to conquer all. In the video, Bandmanrill and Sha
Born and raised in Newark, Bandmanrill changed the game when he applied his fast-paced rhymes to his home city’s high-BPM club beats, mixing the bravado of East Coast drill with the hip-shaking hype of the Newark sign. His partner-in-crime was MCVERTT, whose insistent instrumentals leave enough space for rhymes while providing more than enough high-octane energy to get people moving. Blessed with a natural megaphone for a voice, Bronx-born Sha Ek became a regular collaborator of both artists, adding an aggressive edge that commands respect in the Five Boroughs.
Since label inception, each of these young artists have established themselves as pivotal in driving the culture forward. Earlier this year, Bandmanrill and Sha EK commanded the Defiant Presents x Warner Records stage at Hot 97’s Summer Jam which saw their synergy made manifest. Bandmanrill’s major label debut, last fall’s Club Godfather, and this year’s EP President Obandman came complete with numerous production contributions by MCVERTT and brought Jersey club rap to a mass audience. Sha EK has kept the streets fed this year with a steady stream of singles and this March’s Most Dangerous EP. Sha’s 2022 project Return of The Jiggy peaked at #1 on Billboard’s Heatseekers Chart. Together this collective – in partnership with the creative leadership of Steven Carless – are pushing the limits of modern hip-hop and delivering meaningful inspiration to young artists and fans across the globe.
© 2023, Seth "Digital Crates" Barmash. All rights reserved.
