SANTA MONICA, CA. (Top40 Charts/ Universal
Music Enterprises) - They are songs never before commercially available in the U.S. yet they come from the same sessions that resulted in a few of the major hit albums of the past year from some of Def Jam Recordings' hottest artists - Nas, Rihanna, Fabolous, Ne-Yo, Method Man,
Bobby Valentino, and Redman. And the only way to get them, just in time for the holidays, is on "Def Jam Sessions Vol. 1" (Island/Def Jam/UMe), released December 18, 2007, in both edited and explicit editions.
From the hard to the smooth, rap to R&B, East Coast to West Coast, established superstars to fresh new stars, "Def Jam Sessions Vol. 1" is the ultimate bonus track collection.
New York's Nas set off a firestorm with his provocatively titled "Hip Hop Is Dead" disc, which promptly hit No 1 Pop and No 1 R&B/Hip-hop. But that gold album did not include "The N..." and "Where Y'all At," now on "Def Jam Sessions Vol. 1."
Rihanna, the only female artist on the compilation, has been a summer sensation since her signing by Jay-Z before she made her 2005 debut. Her most dance-pop vibed album, "Good Girl Gone Bad," went platinum and charted No 2 Pop and No 3 R&B/Hip-hop. "Haunted" and "Cry" make their U.S. CD premieres on "Def Jam Sessions Vol. 1."
Ne-Yo co-wrote Rihanna's platinum smash "Unfaithful," and the Las Vegas singer-songwriter saw his most recent album, "Because Of You," soar to the top spot on both the Pop and R&B/Hip-hop charts. "Def Jam Sessions Vol. 1" presents the session tracks "That's What It Does" and "Spotlight."
East Coast MC Fabolous discovered gold with his No 2 Pop and No 1 R&B/Hip-hop album "From Nothin' To Somethin'." "Def Jam Sessions Vol. 1" takes the album title at its word with "I Shine, You Shine" and "Chirp Back."
The always unpredictable, always insightful Method Man offers "OD" from the sessions for "4:21...The Day After." The latest from the first - and biggest - solo star to emerge from the groundbreaking Wu-Tang Clan, the album reached the Pop Top 10 and R&B/Hip-hop Top 5.
Redman, a one-time running mate with Method Man, released his first solo album in six years with "Red Gone Wild: Thee Album." The witty rapper from New Jersey celebrated as the album peaked in the Pop Top 15 and R&B/Hip-hop Top 5. "Def Jam Sessions Vol. 1" uncovers the session tracks "F**k Da Security" and "Let's Go."
The ATL's Bobby Valentino, the first R&B singer in the DTP (Disturbing tha Peace) crew led by Ludacris, rocketed to No 3 Pop and No 1 R&B/Hip-hop with his "Special Occasion" album. "Wreck" and "Let's Go" were not on that album but now they too are on "Def Jam Sessions Vol. 1."
