Charlene Thomas, VP Marketing Def Jam
Charlene Thomas is one of the most influential executives in hip-hop. She signed and A&R’d Three 6 Mafia and Lil Flip at Loud Records, ran a 50-artist roster that included Wu-Tang Clan, Mobb Deep, Funkmaster Flex, and Big Pun, and spearheaded marketing campaigns for heavyweights like JAY-Z and Rick Ross. Thomas has worked as a consultant for brands like Pepsi, Hugo Boss, and Levis, and sports stars such as Floyd Mayweather, Kenny Smith, and Kenyon Martin. She's now the Vice President of Marketing at Def Jam, where she's developing marketing strategies for Kanye West, Big Sean, Hit-Boy, LL Cool J, 2Chainz, and Jeezy.