The Island Def Jam Music Group (IDJMG) was an American recording music unit, formed on New Year's Eve 1998 by the Universal Music Group. It consists of labels devised and consisted under the basic operations of Island Records and Def Jam Recordings. On April Fools Day 2014, Universal Music publicly announced the disbandment of the Island Def Jam Music Group, leaving Island, Def Jam and its affiliated subsidiaries as separate sister labels. History 1999: Seagram buyout of PolyGram and unit formation On December 10, 1998, The Seagram Company completed its seven-month $10.6 billion dollar plan to acquire PolyGram, merging its music label unit with the MCA Music unit of labels, consolidating both into what is known today as the Universal Music Group. Following the formation of the Universal Music Group, and right on time for New Year's Day 1999, came the creation of the Island Def Jam Music Group, a new music label unit founded through the combination of fourteen or more recording labels, including those consisting of Island Records, Def Jam Recordings and Mercury Records. Although Island Def Jam grouped all three labels together, they continued to operate as separately autonomous labels under the unit, which was assumed presidency by Lyor Cohen. In the United Kingdom, Island handled its own operations under Universal's Island Records Group, while Def Jam UK was created and distributed by Mercury, which also distributed its artists in that region under the banner with U.S. distribution rescinded by IDJMG. 1999-2001: Success The first official release through IDJMG was Biohazard's Mercury outing, New World Disorder, which was released on June 8, 1999. By that time, the Rush Associated Labels portfolio (which had been a holding ground for Def Jam) was absorbed into Island Def Jam, with most of its labels joining forces including Def Soul, Roc-A-Fella and Murder Inc. Records, all of which had been a part of the Def Jam Label Group since its PolyGram era between 1996-98. For Island, some of its divisions had been either sold off or folded into IDJMG; both of which being 4th & B'way Records and Island Black Music, with many of its artist rosters being transferred into Def Jam. In 2000, the unit launched Def Jam Germany, the first international Def Jam label. The following year, a country label, Lost Highway Records, was formed. The label operated as an imprint of Mercury Records, but had since been moved