Life and Def : Sex, Drugs, Money, and God (Hardcover)

by Russell Simmons (Author) "There have always been two types of black businesses in this country..." (more)
Key Phrases: coca leaf incense, fake cocaine, velour suit, Def Jam, Phat Farm, New York (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Legendary entrepreneur Simmons's career bio reads like a history of the hip-hop movement, from his first stint as a DJ and promoter in the mid-1970s, through his cofounding of Def Jam Records and groundbreaking 1980s work with Run-DMC, the Beastie Boys and Public Enemy, to his wildly successful cable showcase Def Comedy Jam and his fashion label Phat Farm. But surprisingly, the tone of his memoir, written with accomplished author George (The Death of Rhythm and Blues), is rather flat. Simmons shares tales of his youth in Queens, early New York street-hustling days with DJs like Kurtis Blow, and partying in the Caribbean with Naomi Campbell and Robert De Niro, describing his life as full "of decisions and danger with deep moral and emotional consequences." Long on details and short on self-analysis, the stories blur into one long rise to the top. The book has an "as-told-to" quality, as if George transcribed interviews and added accurate sociological analysis in stilted prose ("It is that contrast between street knowledge and traditional values that frightens mainstream people about hip-hop"). Judging from Simmons's taciturnity about past drug use and sexism, he may have wanted simply to recount his success as a black businessman "all of my business success ties in directly to my internal growth." Still, Simmons's book is required reading for hip-hop fans. 16 pages of b&w photos not seen by PW. (Oct. 9)Forecast: The major media blitz includes tie-in with Phat Farm's 10th anniversary promotions and the $1-million launch of Simmons's new telecommunications company, Rush Communications, as well as promotional support from the BET cable company and Simmons's 360HipHop.com site.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal
Adult/High School-With the help of prolific author George, Simmons discusses his experiences as a manager and producer of hip-hop music, comedy, and fashions. His real name is Hollis Crew, the big brother of former old-school rapper Run of Run-D.M.C. Their father wrote rap lyrics for Run-D.M.C. early in their career. Although this memoir is unlikely to hold teens' interest from cover to cover, it can be a useful source for researching the history and influence of hip-hop culture. It provides information about other rap stars as well. Readers can also gain valuable insights into the business aspects of the entertainment industry from Simmons's explanations of how he developed film projects, Def Comedy Jam, Phat Farm fashions, and the Internet company 360 Hip-Hop. The author gives examples of how major record companies such as Sony exploit small independent companies such as Def Jam. He also details how specific individuals-including rap artists-have betrayed him in business deals. At the end of the memoir, Simmons summarizes his formula for success in five succinct lessons. A telling look at the unglamorous side of the industry.
Joyce Fay Fletcher, Rippon Middle School, Prince William County, VA
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Crown; 1st edition (October 9, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0609606077
• ISBN-13: 978-0609606070
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (27 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,133,097 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good story, bad book., August 9, 2002

By	Leah Ayanna (Chicago, Illinois United States) - See all my reviews

I know what you are thinking. If this book is so bad, why did I give it four stars? First of all, the book only deserved 3 ½ stars but unfortunately that is not an option due to technical difficulties (this is my first review!).

Second, this is a very interesting story about a self-made millionaire who pioneered and profited from an industry that didn't exist 30 years ago. However, this book leaves a lot to be desired.

Life & Def sets sail with a strong start. Simmons details his childhood and introduces his creative family. He explains the strong influence of his mother (the free-spirit painter who encouraged her children to seek non-traditional occupations), and his father (the writer who believed in a 9-5, but encouraged artistic expressions and even wrote lyrics for Run DMC!) Despite the strong start, the ship soon goes off course. Simmons bombards you with names, (random) dates, and industry specific terms. He gives brief overviews of important milestones such as his successful HBO show Def Comedy Jam, only to return (briefly again!) later in the book.

My love of hip-hop and desire for entrepreneurial success pushed me through the choppy waters of this book. I especially struggled to stay afloat during the last 30 pages. By this time I was mentally exhausted from wading through oceans of acronyms, abbreviations, and run-on sentences. Simmons offers a plethora of advice. He candidly shares his mistakes and regrets in an attempt to save the reader from the same. However, he gives you a map for success omitting the last leg of the trip! At the end of the book, I was lost at sea searching for answers to the many issues that plagued the author. The best example of this is the recurring theme of drugs. Simmons readily admits that he heavily indulged in everything from marijuana, to cocaine, to angel dust (his hallucinogen of choice.) He then briefly (3 pages!) outlines how yoga led him in his quest for spirituality. He never mentions when (or if?) he discontinued the heavy drug use.

Despite the poor writing, this book is a must read for any hip-hop lover or entrepreneur. He does provide facts, tips, do's, and don't's, of any business. However, this book does his story no justice. Call me old fashioned, but I still think that the best way to write an autobiography is in chronological order. As an avid reader and aspiring writer, Life & Def reinforced the importance of a good EDITOR.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A VERY Top-Line Look At The Man Behind The Marketing, November 3, 2001

By	whatevery (go brooklyn) - See all my reviews

Anyone who knows anything about Def Jam or Russell Simmons in general will realize this is an EXTREMELY top-line look at the man who is largely responsible for turning hip hop into its own hybrid of corporate culture. A lot of people who were players in the development of the def jam image or long-time soldiers in his camp are not mentioned, significant events are left out and certain explanations of what went down or his motivations behind important decisions are vague at best. Even seemingly positive, life-altering subjects are left undiscussed. He shows a picture of his "model" wife's pregnant, naked stomach in the photo section and credits her with being the most beautiful, intelligent woman he's ever met but doesn't even tell how he met her or why he (the most notorious "model chaser" around) picked this particular one to marry.

Russ does spin some interesting tales and makes a few insightful comments about certain hip hop artists and how some of his deals were structured, but overall that's not enough. If you're really hoping to take a look into the soul of America's favorite hip hop impressario or hoping to pick up pointers on how to hone your music biz skills, look elsewhere.

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars the blueprint, November 20, 2001

By	renaldo snipes "cjackson77" (New York, NY United States) - See all my reviews

russell simmons is the man who set the blueprint for the hip-hop game and he breaks down how to do it for anyone who wants to know how to turn a hot culture into a long-term industry. he explains how he started def jam, his philosophy about finding and promoting artists, how he launched phat farm, how he launched def comedy jam, how he produced movies like the "nutty professor." russell didn't get anything easy--he had to fight against the gatekeepers who didn't understand hip-hop, but in the process he created the blueprint for how to take a powerful, but marginal, culture global. if you're someone interested in business or hip-hop, this is the book for you.