Defiant Records

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]

Defiant Records
Parent company	Warner Music Group
Founded	August 11, 2023; 23 months ago (2023-08-11)
Founder	Steve Carless
Distributor(s)	Warner Records (United States) Warner Music Group (International)
Genre	Various
Country of origin	United States
Location	New York City, New York
Official website	defiantxrecords.com

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

Mixtapes

List of mixtapes with selected details

Title	Details	Peak chart positions
		US [4]
Face of the What	Release date: September 3, 2022 (US) Label: Warner/Defiant[5] Format: Digital download	189
Return of the Jiggy	Release date: December 9, 2022 Label: Warner/Defiant] Format: Digital download	—

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

Hot 97 Summer Jam (2023

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

List of singles as a lead artist with selected details

Title	Year	Album
"D&D"	2020	Face of the What
"We Droppin'" (feat. PGF Nuk)	2022

“It’s About Time. 2023

• Crank Dat Too Oppy 2023
• Shot in the Party 2023 ^[22]