act, Case, whose self-titled debut album (also in 1996), including the single, "Touch Me, Tease Me", went gold. In June 1997, Def Jam acquired 50% of Roc-A-Fella Records for an estimated $1.4 million, giving co-founders Jay-Z and Damon Dash part ownership of the label, while Def Jam maintained distribution and co-marketing. In 1997, through Def Jam A&R Irv Gotti, Def Jam signed Ruff Ryders artist DMX. DMX's first studio album, It's Dark and Hell is Hot was released on May 12, 1998 and was co-executive produced by Irv Gotti. The album debuted and peaked at number 1 on the Billboard Top 200 and sold over 250,000 copies in its first week. The album went on to sell four million copies in America, being certified Quadruple Platinum by the RIAA, and sold five million copies worldwide. The success of the album prompted Lyor Cohen to challenge DMX to record another album quickly to have another album released within the same calendar year. DMX's second studio album, Flesh of My Flesh, Blood of My Blood was released on December 22, 1998 and debuted and peaked at number one the Billboard Top 200. The album sold over 670,000 units in its first week of release, and went on to sell over four million copies. DMX claimed that Def Jam made $144 million from the sales of his first two albums. The Island Def Jam Music Group founding (1998–2000) In 1998, PolyGram was purchased by Universal Pictures' former parent, Seagram, and later merged with the MCA group of record labels. In early 1999, the label group was rebranded as the Universal Music Group. It then purchased the remaining interest of Def Jam Recordings from Russell Simmons for a reported $100 million. UMG merged over 14 record labels including Def Jam, Island, and Mercury Records together to form the Island Def Jam Music Group. Despite the formation of IDJMG, the Def Jam, Mercury, and Island labels continued to operate as separate imprints underneath the umbrella. Lyor Cohen was appointed co-president of IDJMG, and Kevin Liles succeeded him as president of Def Jam. In 1998, Def Jam created an R&B spin-off label called Def Soul Records to run under the label's companionship. Def Jam inherited many of Island's urban artists, including Dru Hill (including its lead singer Sisqó), the Isley Brothers (featuring Ronald Isley) and Kelly Price. Def Soul also issued recordings by Musiq Soulchild, Montell