The Men Behind Def Jam: The Radical Rise of Russell Simmons And Rick Rubin (Paperback)

~ Alex Ogg (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review

'A detailed and rather unofficial cheeky unofficial history.' Q 'A comprehensive account of how two unlikely business partners - streetwise entrepeneur Russell Simmons and bearded AC/DC fan Rick Rubin - changed the face of music...Pleasingly, author Alex Ogg embellishes the story with bitchy tales of backbiting and much moneymaking as well...Thoroughly readable and often highly revealing, this book deftly highlights the fractious nature of music industry relationships...Ultimately, Rubin comes across as a music fan, while Simmons appears as a rather confused figure...a compelling saga.' KERRANG ' A perfect primter for anyone who doesn't know why rap is the most important musical movement of the past 25 years...it's a blast from page one.' MOJO

Product Description

having introduced the world to LL Cool J, the Beastie Boys, Public Enemy, DMX, and Jay-Z, the label formed by hustler-incarnate Russell Simmons and A & R maverick Rick Rubin has now successfully marketed what was a ghetto phenomenon into the most pervasive youth culture of the late 20th century. This book documents the growth of Def Jam from humble origins to its current status as the pre-eminent black music label of the 80's and 90's.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Omnibus Press (June 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0711988730
• ISBN-13: 978-0711988736
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.1 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #672,947 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Off the hook, read this book, July 2, 2002

By	Daniel Freund (USA) - See all my reviews

Alex Ogg did a superb job in his book on Russel Simmons and Rick Rubin, founders of the record label, "Def Jam". Ogg gave the men who launched the careers of Jay-Z, LL Cool J, Run-DMC, the Beastie Boys, and other stars of hip hop their props. While I found it was an insightful read, I discovered that homorous touches and memorable moments abound throughout the book. Since I am an fan of the Beastie Boys, I enjoyed the early part of the book which dealt with the rap/rock phenomenon in the 1980's, although I was a bit dissapointed that Ogg didn't delve more deeply into how Rubin got to be friends and roomates with Adam Horovitz (Ad-Rock of Beastie-Boy fame.) Nevertheless, Alex Ogg, a gifted writer, knows how to put together a good Def Jam history book, and without a doubt loves hip-hop very much.