The 0207 Def Jam Block Party, hosted with Universal Music Ireland, took place last week in Dublin at Guinness Open Gate Brewery. The intention of the event was to "showcase the London label's ground-breaking roster and to help realise the labels' shared ethos of connecting diverse music communities."

0207 Def Jam is a London label founded in 2020 that also houses US giant Def Jam Recordings. The company currently represents artists like Stormzy, Bru-c, Tendai, and Potter Payper. At the event, invitees were privy to performances by Debbie and 0207 Def Jam co-founder Alex Boateng.

Press photo from the event.

Musicians like the Dublin-based EFÉ and Offica (who are not represented by Def Jam) also performed at the event. In addition to music, the founders of the business talked about their start as music executives and "the importance of Black culture and representation in the modern music industry".

Alec and Alex Boateng.

Alex Boateng commented saying "we're super proud of the talent and creativity coming out of the UK and our incredible team. Nothing makes us happier than helping it to travel the world and where better to start than our neighbours in Ireland and the world class team in Dublin. We’re excited about the event and even more so about our relationship and what we'll achieve together."

Universal Music is the world's leading music company. From their location in Ireland, their COO speaks to the importance of this event and collaboration by saying: “Hip-hop in Ireland has exploded over the past decade and there is phenomenal talent in this country. By hosting the 0207 Def Jam Block Party at the Open Gate Brewery in Dublin this July we can connect some of the key players in Irish hip-hop with the most cutting edge hip-hop label in the UK, 0207 Def Jam, while at the same time introducing the label to Ireland.”

Hosting the event at Guinness Open Gate Brewery was fitting because it's the location of Guinness' most experimental brewery. Any new flavours are created and tested here before they go out into the world: the perfect spot for celebrating those on the cutting edge of hip-hop.