The Story of Def Jam Records

When it was founded in 1984, Def Jam was a tiny operation nestled in the college dorm room of Rick Rubin. He and promoter Russell Simmons quickly built a music empire around a talented crew of groundbreaking artists and an allegiance to the 'real street music" that was about to bust out of New York City's hip-hop circles.

Over the course of several decades, Def Jam has helped launched many of the best acts in rap & pop music, including LL Cool J, the Beastie Boys, Public Enemy, Method Man, DMX, Já Rule, Jay-Z, and Rihanna. Over 200 gold and over 70 platinum records bear the Def Jam label.

Def Jam's 25th anniversary in 2009 was just another milestone in the story of a label that helped define the sound as the wider culture of hip-hop.