After some months of speculation, the shoes are starting to drop with regard to UMG’s vaunted reorganization as Sir Lucian Grainge’s master plan goes into effect. As previously noted, this “pivotal moment in the evolution of UMG,” as Grainge put it in a note to the troops, organizes the company's labels under coastal capos Monte Lipman and John Janick on the East and West, respectively.

In addition to his own Republic, the eastern division under Monte and Avery will include Tyler Arnold/Ben Adelson-led Mercury and Island—under the leadership of Imran Majid and Justin Eshak—as well as, in the most significant change, Tunji Balogun-led Def Jam. Balogun is widely regarded as a creative superstar, and it’s believed that his exceptional A&R chops and the unstoppable Lipman machine will be a killer combination as he shepherds the storied Def Jam brand into its next chapter. Jim Roppo and Wendy Goldstein, meanwhile, will continue to be integral parts of the Republic machine. Stay tuned for further details on Uni’s transformation.