Founded in 1985 by Rick Rubin and Russell Simmons, Def Jam is one of the most influential record labels in the world. Starting with acts like The Beastie Boys and LL Cool J, the label was instrumental in helping break hip hop to an international audience. To celebrate its 25 year anniversary founding publicist Bill Adler has just released a book: '
Def Jam Recordings: The First 25 Years of the Last Great Label'.
If you want to know more about the label you should buy it. Or jump on Wikipedia. Either way, there’s one hell of story there. This is the accompanying soundtrack, broken down year by year.
LL Cool J - Can't Live Without My Radio (1985)
Beastie Boys – Hold it Now Hit It (1986)
Oran "Juice" Jones - The Rain (1987)
Slick Rick - Hey Young World (1988)
Public Enemy - Fight The Power (1989)
3rd Bass - The Gas Face (1990)
Nikki D - Daddy's Little Girl (1991)
Redman - Tonight's Da Night (1992)
Onyx – Slam (1993)
Warren G - This D.J. (1994)
Montell Jordan - This Is How We Do It (1995)
Foxy Brown - Gotta Get You Home (1996)
Jay-Z – Sunshine (1997)
DMX - Ruff Ryders' Anthem (1998)
Sisqo - Thong Song (1999)
Ludacris - Southern Hospitality (2000)
Jay-Z - Girls, Girls, Girls (2001)
Ashanti – Foolish (2002)
The Diplomats - Dipset Anthem (2003)
Ghostface Killah – Run (2004)
Kanye West - Diamonds From Sierra Leone (2005)
Nas - Hip Hop Is Dead (2006)
The-Dream – Falsetto (2007)
Mariah Carey - Touch My Body (2008)
Rick Ross - All I Really Want (2009)
Big Boi – Shutterbugg(2010)