BACK IN THE SHADY LANE

While Paul Rosenberg captained the Def Jam ship over the last few years as Chairman/CEO, his Shady Records imprint and management gig is in the midst of a solid run.

Rap God Eminem is as relevant as ever, earning his 10th consecutive #1 album at the top of the year while single "Godzilla" f/Juice WRLD is looking like a true hit. In a business where legacy acts struggle to maintain relevance, Eminem has done the opposite throughout his 25-year partnership with Rosenberg. The pair remain lockstep in every single career decision made—through the ups and the downs, they've rarely missed.

Em and Rosenberg's Shady Records is also in attack mode as hip-hop supergroup Griselda (Westside Gunn, Conway the Machine & Benny the Butcher) have become undergroup rap champions. A recent pair of sold-out shows at The Novo in L.A. was filled with rap luminaries, include Jay-Z in attendance. Griselda have also earned plenty of critical praise, Pitchfork noted in their review of their Shady Records debut, WWCD: "These three are at their best at their most untamed, and WWCD is the crew’s most unrelentingly raucous showcase yet."

With a hot act, look for Rosenberg to focus more on artist development, where he made his bones.