Russell Simmons and Rick Rubin Speak on Def Jam Beginnings

                 

Two music pioneers square off in this special edition of Noisey’s Back & Forth series focused on the 30th Anniversary of the legendary Def Jam Recordings. Def Jam founders Russell Simmons and Rick Rubin, with the aid of the great Elliott Wilson, talk about the early days of the label, their first twelve-inch release, LL Cool J’s hit “Radio,” and LL Cool J’s involvement with Run-D.M.C. in this clip, available via Noisey for the first time.