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Russell Simmons & Bill Adler Talk About Signing Public Enemy, The Logo & The Ramifications (Video)

Following LL Cool J and The Beastie Boys, Def Jam Records next breakthrough artist signing was Public Enemy. The Long Island, New York Hip-Hop collective including Chuck D, Flavor Flav, Terminator X, Professor Griff, The Bomb Squad, Johnny Juice and more would shake the earth with boisterous messages, social information,... Read more

Episode 1 of The Message Documentary Speaks on Kool Herc, Afrika Bambaataa, Grandmaster Flash, Run-D.M.C., LL Coo J & Much More (Full Video)

Episode 1 of BET's Hip-Hop documentary, The Message, covers roughly the first decade of Hip-Hop. It addresses pioneers like Kool Herc, Afrika Bambaataa, Grandmaster Flash, LL Cool J, Run-D.M.C., Cold Crush Brothers and more. It also features several luminaries including Doug E Fresh, Fab 5 Freddy, Ice Cube, DJ Premier,... Read more

Nas, RZA & More Discuss The Earliest Days of Hip-Hop in The Message Hip-Hop Documentary (Video)

BET's 4-part Hip-Hop documentary, The Message, premieres tonight at 10pm. Part 1 focuses on the early days of Hip-Hop and features Doug E Fresh, Fab 5 Freddy, Ice Cube, DJ Premier, Grand Wizard Theodore, Nas, MC Lyte, Questlove, Russell Simmons, Snoop, RZA, Sway, Talib Kweli, Kendrick Lamar, Eve, Swizz Beatz... Read more

Look Back To An Ill 1998 Future Flavas Freestyle From The Last Days Of A Tribe Called Quest (Audio)

Heads may remember the late '90s, early 2000s HOT 97 "Future Flavas" radio show hosted by Marley Marl and Pete Rock. In the glory days of underground Hip-Hop, this show bridged the gap between old school and emerging greats, with two legends on the boards, transmitting to the tri-state. This... Read more

Russell Simmons Explains Success Through Meditation, Recalls Some Vivid & Never Before Heard Def Jam Memories (Audio)

With his latest book hitting shelves (Success Through Stillness: Meditation Made Simple), Russell Simmons stops by his former Def Jam Records employee, Combat Jack's show. Beginning at the 16-minute mark, Uncle Rush enters. In the lengthy and coherent interview, Russ speaks about his storied drug days and early era as... Read more

LL Cool J Makes A New Love Ballad Over Some Chipmunk Soul (Audio)

While Drake makes his way, can anybody in Hip-Hop ever really dethrone LL Cool J's status as the Rap-Ballad king? While he never sang, Ladies Love Cool James has been a master since he "needed love" just as much as he "needed a beat." Just about 30 years later, Uncle... Read more

What Do Nas, Rick Rubin & Fab 5 Freddy Think Of Hip-Hop & Race? Watch Part One Of The Tanning Of America (Video)

Yesterday (February 24) kicked off Vh1's five-part series on The Tanning Of America: One Nation Under Hip-Hop. The title, concept and vision is based on Steve Stoute's recent book, which looked at the cultural and racial diaspora that's happened in the United States, in large part, due to Hip-Hop. The... Read more

MC Serch Recalls The Early Days Of MF DOOM & Slick Rick In This Stellar Juan Epstein (Audio)

From his time with 3rd Bass, Rockaway, Queens' MC Serch is already an interesting figure of old school Hip-Hop. However, the MC-turned-record executive-turned-talk show host has been involved with so much more than his group with Prime Minister Pete Nice and DJ Daddy Rich (f/k/a Richie Rich). Serchlite was a... Read more

Snoop Interviews Russell Simmons and the Conversation is a Stone Krush Groove. Get This Knowledge (Video)

Snoop Dogg's amazing GGN series continues with whom he calls the "Godfather of Hip-Hop," Def Jam Records co-founder Russell "Uncle Rush" Simmons. Anybody who has read Rush's Life & Def knows that Simmons has lived an interesting life. From managing his brother's group, Run-DMC, through founding Hip-Hop's most enduring mainstream... Read more

Was there ever any question that Def Jam Recordings would be the #1 most important hip-hop record label of all time??? Here’s a 30-song playlist of music from some of the legendary Def Jam artists: LL, Public Enemy, The Beastie Boys, Redman, Method Man and more.

Before record labels were considered “the enemy” their brands actually meant something. Artists dreamed of being on the same label as the MCs they grew up idolizing and some labels had such credibility fans would buy the record just because it was on that label. We decided to look at... Read more

Russell Simmons & Rick Rubin – Def Jam’s First 25 Years (Audio Interview)

Here's an interview of Russell Simmons and Rick Rubin on the founding and legacy of Def Jam.  The intro is a bit stiff (the interview is from NPR...) but it's very cool to hear the story of Def Jam from the voices of the founders, themselves.  Click here to hear... Read more

Here’s a cool video of Russell Simmons talking about what led him to Rick Rubin.

Check out the video below and click here to listen to our playlist of Rick Rubin hip-hop productions. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPodlw6YdJw&feature=player_embedded... Read more