Juelz Santana Stays With Def Jam, Still Reps Diplomat Records

Juelz Santana has revealed that he will continue recording for Island Def Jam, even though Dip-Set leader Cam’ron took his Diplomat Records to Asylum/Warner Music Group. The lone Diplomat is focusing in on career longevity and taking a more front seat approach to the business. “This time, I’m hands on. I’m like ‘Whats good? Let’s […]

Juelz Santana has revealed

that he will continue recording for Island Def Jam, even though Dip-Set leader

Cam’ron took his Diplomat Records to Asylum/Warner Music Group.

The lone Diplomat is focusing

in on career longevity and taking a more front seat approach to the business.

“This time, I’m

hands on. I’m like ‘Whats good? Let’s do it,’”

Santana told AllHipHop.com. "I’m trying to take this album to the

next level.”

Efforts include a new mixtape

on the way, titled “Fiend’d Out,” he’s financially backed

and directed the video for the single “Mic Check,” from his upcoming

new album “What The Game’s Been Missing” and has built his

own studio.

By staying on at Def Jam,

the youngest member of the Dip Set crew is looking to keep the force to help

drive his momentum.

“I just felt like

I wanted that [Def Jam] machine behind me. It’s nothing more than that

– nothing,” he said. “As long as I do what I have to do to

make it hot, from the videos to the street buzz, it shouldn’t be too hard.”

With members Cam’Ron

and Jim Jones spread out across record label lines at Asylum and Warner Music

Group, he said there’s no bad blood and all previous group projects are

still in the works.

“[There is] No beef

with the rest of the crew and the IDJ deal is still a joint venture with Diplomat

Records,” he said.

While business decisions

affected the placement of the group as a whole, ultimately Santana admits

he would’ve chosen group solidarity to his former label mates if prompted.

“If Cam had said we

are leaving Def Jam, I would have left Def Jam,” he said. “Its just

that simple. No questions asked.”