With Columbia Records lending their support, the first project to receive a major push was LL Cool J's debut album, Radio. The classic LP saw Rubin's masterful production on every track. Def Jam was now officially on the map.ġ987: Def Jam Branches Out With Controversial Signings That eventually paved a way towards a distribution deal with Columbia Records.ġ985: LL Cool J's Debut Project Marks Def Jam's First Full-Length Album The duo quickly became business partners, as Russell brought Rubin into the business world of hip-hop due to his experience already managing Run-D.M.C.ġ984: Def Jam's First Releases Include LL Cool J and the Beastie Boysĭef Jam made their first splash by releasing LL Cool J's "I Need a Beat," which only cost the label $400 to make, according to Complex. The crossover appeal of the Beastie Boys' "Rock Hard" single the next year had the label on the right track. Those records proved to be the first to don a Def Jam logo and register a catalog number. There are conflicting stories on who connected Rick Rubin and Russell Simmons, but according to The Balance, DJ Jazzy Jay introduced the pair. The Long Island native took a loan from his parents, and Def Jam Recordings began to take form. Rubin's first act of business was to release a single from his punk-rock band, Hose.ġ984: DJ Jazzy Jay Introduces Rubin to Russell Simmons The 20-year-old came up with the idea for a label while sitting in his Weinstein New York University dorm room. Let's take a look at the timeline of major events that cemented Def Jam's legacy in music over the course of the past four decades.ġ983: Rick Rubin Creates Def Jam Recordings Throughout their run, Def Jam acquired such legendary talent to their roster as rappers Kanye West and Nas, with their talent pool also ranging to emerging youthful stars of today like Logic, Alessia Cara and Vince Staples. Fast forward a decade later and Eminem's longtime manager, Paul Rosenberg, was appointed president/ceo of the epochal label in 2017. Fast forward to the turn-of-the-century and JAY-Z would even experience a three-year stint as president of Def Jam from 2004-2007. Rubin left the label to start his own in 1988 after Lyor Cohen was appointed president of the operation, as the duo couldn't overcome their creative differences.Įven with artists like EPMD, Public Enemy and LL Cool J blossoming, there would still be financial troubles that plagued the label, leading to a revolving door of leadership. The label has endured a multitude of changes at the helm over the years. After being introduced to Russell Simmons, who had already made a name for himself managing his brother and the rest of Run-D.M.C., the duo became partners to launch the iconic label, and the rest is history.ĭef Jam has outlasted all of its counterparts it entered the game with, but it hasn't always been easy getting to this point.
With the help of his parents' funding, Rick Rubin founded Def Jam Recordings in his New York University dorm room back in 1983.
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