Russell Simmon’s All Def Digital Claims 3 Million YouTube Subscribers, 1 Billion Views

Russell Simmons should be pretty happy with the development of All Def Digital, the YouTube MultiChannel Network that includes numerous popular hip hop and sketch comedy channels. At this week's IGNITION 2013 conference, ADD claimed to have reached 3 million subscribers and 1 billion views. Though Simmons is still pushing the "hip hop culture IS mainstream America" line it's showing quite a bit of wear. But, despite my skepticism regarding much of Simmons' rhetoric, the reality is that pitching the idea of advertising on a hip hop culture channel to major brands is likely becoming more of a battle after a relatively brief reprieve.

All Def Digital (ADD) was initially announced in January and launched this summer.

The YouTube MultiChannel Network (MCN) was co-founded by Russell Simmons and Brian Robbins who directed "The Show." YouTube came on board last fall and agreed to fund the channel as part of its initiative to grow MultiChannel Networks.

By the summer, Universal Music and Steve Rifkind were on board. However, this is a fairly loose trajectory based on a handful of sources.

Welcome to All Def Digital!

The main point is that All Def Digital is a roll-up of existing YouTube channels, new shows (like the All Def Daily with 106 & Park host Mykie) and playlists that add music video curation to the mix. It's got big names from the traditional music and entertainment industries involved which means that their claim to be able to develop talent and connect it beyond YouTube is unquestionable. How that plays out remains to be seen.

Russell Simmons appeared at Business Insider's IGNITION 2013 conference this week to announce an expansion of the network. In a somewhat misleading manner the press release describes it as the launch.

In any case, they're reporting 3 million subscribers, 1 billion views and announcing premium channel partners, Spoken Reasons, Hoopmixtape, skeetv and Dormtainment TV, though it's unclear when they joined.

Hip Hop Entertainment After Peak Hip Hop

Basically All Def Digital is a hip hop culture entertainment MultiChannel Network. Because of the rise of hip hop in the previous decade, let's call it Peak Hip Hop (after peak oil), Simmons was able to develop a presentation of hip hop culture as mainstream culture and in many ways it's true. Hip hop did go mainstream but it's no longer the dominating force in youth culture that it was in the prior decade.

EDM's taking over that spot though there's definitely some crossover or appropriation from hip hop dj's and producers that has probably gone a lot further than I would know.

But Russell Simmons' credibility is based entirely in hip hop culture even when he was doing infomercials for his yoga products. So he's still pushing the "hip hop is the mainstream" line which might more accurately be stated that hip hop is now part of the mainstream and an integral aspect of American culture.

As Simmons said in January, drawing on his history of using Def in the title of his projects from Def Jam Records to Def Comedy Jam:

"Def has its connotation. It speaks to the hip-hop audience — which is the mainstream…It is the forgotten mainstream."

At IGNITION he got more real:

"Hollywood is more segregated than Jerry f***ing Springer…We want to create content that's inspiring to new America."

Speaking to diversity and segregation gets more to the point. And actually it helps explain why Simmons has to make convoluted statements about hip hop's mainstream status to get those big brand sponsorships because, honestly, a lot of white people still just don't get it.

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Hypebot Senior Contributor Clyde Smith (@fluxresearch/@crowdfundingm) also blogs at Flux Research and Crowdfunding For Musicians. To suggest topics for Hypebot, contact: clyde(at)fluxresearch(dot)com.