about
Founded by Thenkman in 2000 in Frankfurt am Main, Germany, DefPro Entertainment is an independent entertainment agency specializing in event production, artist promotion, cultural development and entertainment marketing. For more than 25 years, the agency has been creating experiences that connect people through music, dance, comedy and urban culture while building long-lasting relationships with artists, audiences and industry partners.
The name DefPro reflects the company’s philosophy. The word „Def“ originates from Hip-Hop culture, where it became synonymous with „phat“—meaning exceptional, outstanding and top-class. „Pro“ stands for Promotion. Together, DefPro represents Top Promotion, a philosophy that has guided the company since its foundation and continues to define every project it produces.
From its very beginning DefPro Entertainment has focused on developing original concepts rather than simply organizing events. The agency has built creative platforms, supported emerging talent, documented cultural movements and collaborated with internationally respected artists, always with the goal of creating authentic experiences that leave a lasting impact.
One of the agency’s earliest milestones was the launch of the Metro Dance Project in 2001. Created to support Frankfurt’s growing street dance community, DefPro organized a nationwide audition at the renowned dance school Screamfactory, attracting dancers from across Germany. More than twenty dancers were selected, forming a multicultural performance crew representing fourteen different nationalities. Sponsored by the fashion label Mucho Styles, the group quickly established itself within Germany’s dance scene, performing at the German Finals of SupermodelsConnect in Mainz, Wiesbaden, Neuss, Ettlingen and Idar-Oberstein. Additional appearances included performances at Frankfurt’s famous Museumsufer Festival, while the group also won the prestigious PRINZ Talent Stage Award 2002 and competed at Germany’s largest dance competition, the 10th Hip-Hop & Freestyle Festival in Augsburg. After two successful years and numerous performances, the project concluded in 2003, leaving a lasting legacy within the regional dance community.
The same year, DefPro Entertainment expanded its creative vision into filmmaking with the production of German Hip-Hop Summer 2003 – Money Train & Thenkman. Filmed during the MTV Hip-Hop Open, Splash! Festival and Popkomm Music Convention, the documentary captured one of the most exciting periods of German Hip-Hop culture through exclusive interviews and live performances featuring international legends such as Flavour Flav, Chuck D, Redman, Petey Pablo, Guru, Fatman Scoop, Slum Village and DJ Kool, alongside leading German artists including Afrob, Samy Deluxe and Xavier Naidoo. Today, the documentary remains an authentic record of a defining era in European Hip-Hop.
In 2007, DefPro Entertainment founded Propz City, a creative platform dedicated to supporting Frankfurt’s Hip-Hop community. Over the following years, the project released five official mixtapes featuring more than one hundred rappers, producers and Hip-Hop artists from the Rhine-Main region, including Haftbefehl, D-Flame and Real Jay. Each release was celebrated with large concert events held at some of Frankfurt’s best-known venues, including Cookys Club, Nachtleben and Das Bett, providing independent artists with valuable exposure and creating one of the city’s most respected Hip-Hop networks.
Beginning in 2008, DefPro Entertainment entered into a long-term collaboration with Universal Music Germany, producing official record release parties for some of the world’s most successful recording artists. Over a period of seventeen years, the agency organized approximately 50 official release events celebrating albums by global superstars including Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Madonna, Rihanna, Drake, Lady Gaga, 50 Cent and many others. These exclusive events took place at renowned venues such as Club59, Urban Kitchen Club, Chocolate Club, Cookys Club in Frankfurt, the Ritz Club, Tiffany Club in Mannheim and the Floors Club, where visitors received official promotional merchandise as part of Universal Music’s marketing campaigns.
Supporting artists has always been at the heart of DefPro Entertainment’s mission. In 2012, the agency began working with legendary American dancer Adolfo „Shabba-Doo“ Quiñones, internationally recognized for his starring role in the cult classic Breakin‘ and for choreographing performances for Michael Jackson, Madonna and Lionel Richie. Two years later, DefPro brought Shabba-Doo to Frankfurt for the dance event Moves-2-Show, where he led a completely sold-out workshop together with then World Champion Majid Kessab. The agency also collaborated with Grammy Award-winning American rapper and songwriter The D.O.C., successfully building his Facebook community to more than 35,000 followers. Another international collaboration saw DefPro Entertainment organize a European concert tour for world musician Levi Chen, with performances across Germany, Belgium and France.
In 2014, DefPro Entertainment expanded its portfolio into live comedy by launching Frankfurt Comedy Jam at the Interkulturelle Bühne Frankfurt. Following two sold-out performances, the concept evolved into Club Comedy Nights, a successful comedy series initially hosted at Cookys Club before moving to the Living Hotel Frankfurt. Across sixteen live shows, more than thirty comedians from all over Germany performed on the DefPro stage, including Mariano Vivenzio, Amir Shahbaaz, Nikita Miller and Halid Rizvanovic, several of whom later became well-established names in the German comedy scene.
Radio Broadcasting – Mondays N Harmony In 2020, during the global COVID-19 pandemic, DefPro Entertainment expanded its creative portfolio into live radio broadcasting with the launch of Mondays N Harmony, a weekly radio show produced in collaboration with Radio X Frankfurt and broadcast live throughout the state of Hesse. At a time when live events and cultural gatherings had largely come to a standstill, the program created a platform where music, conversation and creativity continued to connect audiences despite physical distance. Across ten live broadcasts Mondays N Harmony featured exclusive interviews, inspiring discussions and carefully curated music, offering listeners a unique blend of entertainment and authentic artist conversations.
The show welcomed a diverse lineup of respected guests from the international and German music scene, including Linda Rocco, formerly associated with Milli Vanilli, acclaimed German reggae artist Patrice, influential Hip-Hop pioneer MC Rene, and award-winning rapper Megaloh. Each episode provided listeners with personal insights into the artists‘ careers, creative journeys and perspectives on music, culture and life during an unprecedented moment in history.
With Mondays N Harmony, DefPro Entertainment once again demonstrated its ability to adapt to changing circumstances, transforming a challenging period for the entertainment industry into an opportunity to create meaningful content, support artists and keep culture alive through live broadcasting.
Today, DefPro Entertainment represents more than two decades of creativity, entrepreneurship and cultural engagement. The agency has built communities, produced live events, promoted international artists, organized tours, documented important moments in music history and created platforms where emerging talent can grow. Every project reflects the same commitment that inspired the company from the very beginning: combining creativity with professionalism while bringing people together through entertainment.
With more than twenty-five years of experience, DefPro Entertainment continues to develop innovative concepts and meaningful collaborations, remaining dedicated to its founding vision of creating authentic entertainment with lasting impact.
Founded by Thenkman in 2000 in Frankfurt am Main, Germany, DefPro Entertainment is an independent entertainment agency specializing in event production, artist promotion, cultural development and entertainment marketing. For more than 25 years, the agency has been creating experiences that connect people through music, dance, comedy and urban culture while building long-lasting relationships with artists, audiences and industry partners.
The name DefPro reflects the company’s philosophy. The word „Def“ originates from Hip-Hop culture, where it became synonymous with „phat“—meaning exceptional, outstanding and top-class. „Pro“ stands for Promotion. Together, DefPro represents Top Promotion, a philosophy that has guided the company since its foundation and continues to define every project it produces.
From its very beginning DefPro Entertainment has focused on developing original concepts rather than simply organizing events. The agency has built creative platforms, supported emerging talent, documented cultural movements and collaborated with internationally respected artists, always with the goal of creating authentic experiences that leave a lasting impact.
One of the agency’s earliest milestones was the launch of the Metro Dance Project in 2001. Created to support Frankfurt’s growing street dance community, DefPro organized a nationwide audition at the renowned dance school Screamfactory, attracting dancers from across Germany. More than twenty dancers were selected, forming a multicultural performance crew representing fourteen different nationalities. Sponsored by the fashion label Mucho Styles, the group quickly established itself within Germany’s dance scene, performing at the German Finals of SupermodelsConnect in Mainz, Wiesbaden, Neuss, Ettlingen and Idar-Oberstein. Additional appearances included performances at Frankfurt’s famous Museumsufer Festival, while the group also won the prestigious PRINZ Talent Stage Award 2002 and competed at Germany’s largest dance competition, the 10th Hip-Hop & Freestyle Festival in Augsburg. After two successful years and numerous performances, the project concluded in 2003, leaving a lasting legacy within the regional dance community.
The same year, DefPro Entertainment expanded its creative vision into filmmaking with the production of German Hip-Hop Summer 2003 – Money Train & Thenkman. Filmed during the MTV Hip-Hop Open, Splash! Festival and Popkomm Music Convention, the documentary captured one of the most exciting periods of German Hip-Hop culture through exclusive interviews and live performances featuring international legends such as Flavour Flav, Chuck D, Redman, Petey Pablo, Guru, Fatman Scoop, Slum Village and DJ Kool, alongside leading German artists including Afrob, Samy Deluxe and Xavier Naidoo. Today, the documentary remains an authentic record of a defining era in European Hip-Hop.
In 2007, DefPro Entertainment founded Propz City, a creative platform dedicated to supporting Frankfurt’s Hip-Hop community. Over the following years, the project released five official mixtapes featuring more than one hundred rappers, producers and Hip-Hop artists from the Rhine-Main region, including Haftbefehl, D-Flame and Real Jay. Each release was celebrated with large concert events held at some of Frankfurt’s best-known venues, including Cookys Club, Nachtleben and Das Bett, providing independent artists with valuable exposure and creating one of the city’s most respected Hip-Hop networks.
Beginning in 2008, DefPro Entertainment entered into a long-term collaboration with Universal Music Germany, producing official record release parties for some of the world’s most successful recording artists. Over a period of seventeen years, the agency organized approximately 50 official release events celebrating albums by global superstars including Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Madonna, Rihanna, Drake, Lady Gaga, 50 Cent and many others. These exclusive events took place at renowned venues such as Club59, Urban Kitchen Club, Chocolate Club, Cookys Club in Frankfurt, the Ritz Club, Tiffany Club in Mannheim and the Floors Club, where visitors received official promotional merchandise as part of Universal Music’s marketing campaigns.
Supporting artists has always been at the heart of DefPro Entertainment’s mission. In 2012, the agency began working with legendary American dancer Adolfo „Shabba-Doo“ Quiñones, internationally recognized for his starring role in the cult classic Breakin‘ and for choreographing performances for Michael Jackson, Madonna and Lionel Richie. Two years later, DefPro brought Shabba-Doo to Frankfurt for the dance event Moves-2-Show, where he led a completely sold-out workshop together with then World Champion Majid Kessab. The agency also collaborated with Grammy Award-winning American rapper and songwriter The D.O.C., successfully building his Facebook community to more than 35,000 followers. Another international collaboration saw DefPro Entertainment organize a European concert tour for world musician Levi Chen, with performances across Germany, Belgium and France.
In 2014, DefPro Entertainment expanded its portfolio into live comedy by launching Frankfurt Comedy Jam at the Interkulturelle Bühne Frankfurt. Following two sold-out performances, the concept evolved into Club Comedy Nights, a successful comedy series initially hosted at Cookys Club before moving to the Living Hotel Frankfurt. Across sixteen live shows, more than thirty comedians from all over Germany performed on the DefPro stage, including Mariano Vivenzio, Amir Shahbaaz, Nikita Miller and Halid Rizvanovic, several of whom later became well-established names in the German comedy scene.
Radio Broadcasting – Mondays N Harmony In 2020, during the global COVID-19 pandemic, DefPro Entertainment expanded its creative portfolio into live radio broadcasting with the launch of Mondays N Harmony, a weekly radio show produced in collaboration with Radio X Frankfurt and broadcast live throughout the state of Hesse. At a time when live events and cultural gatherings had largely come to a standstill, the program created a platform where music, conversation and creativity continued to connect audiences despite physical distance. Across ten live broadcasts Mondays N Harmony featured exclusive interviews, inspiring discussions and carefully curated music, offering listeners a unique blend of entertainment and authentic artist conversations.
The show welcomed a diverse lineup of respected guests from the international and German music scene, including Linda Rocco, formerly associated with Milli Vanilli, acclaimed German reggae artist Patrice, influential Hip-Hop pioneer MC Rene, and award-winning rapper Megaloh. Each episode provided listeners with personal insights into the artists‘ careers, creative journeys and perspectives on music, culture and life during an unprecedented moment in history.
With Mondays N Harmony, DefPro Entertainment once again demonstrated its ability to adapt to changing circumstances, transforming a challenging period for the entertainment industry into an opportunity to create meaningful content, support artists and keep culture alive through live broadcasting.
Today, DefPro Entertainment represents more than two decades of creativity, entrepreneurship and cultural engagement. The agency has built communities, produced live events, promoted international artists, organized tours, documented important moments in music history and created platforms where emerging talent can grow. Every project reflects the same commitment that inspired the company from the very beginning: combining creativity with professionalism while bringing people together through entertainment.
With more than twenty-five years of experience, DefPro Entertainment continues to develop innovative concepts and meaningful collaborations, remaining dedicated to its founding vision of creating authentic entertainment with lasting impact.
