Tuesday, November 3, 2009

History My Radio

Posted by Charles Mudede on Tue, Nov 3, 2009 at 10:13 AM

CNN celebrates 25 years of Def Jam:

def.jpg

(CNN) — A recipe that includes a nondescript New York University dorm room, a heavyset Jewish kid from Long Island and a street-wise black guy from Queens seems like an unlikely one to cook up musical history.

But when Def Jam Records came on the scene a quarter of a century ago, it did just that and more.

The best thing about the story is that it brings attention to the forgotten "It's Yours," the first work of hiphop theory. Indeed, the track that launched Def Jam presented hiphop with an idea of its aesthetic and technical practices....

Common talk deserves a walk, the situation's changed/
Everything said from now on has to be rearranged.

The track also promoted an egalitarian ethic: Who owns hiphop? You own hiphop. It's yours.
After Run D.M.C. ("Sucker M.C.'s"), it was T La Rock and Rick Rubin.

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Comments (6) RSS

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jz 1
The beat on "It's Yours" was co-produced by a then-unknown Adam Horovitz.
Posted by jz http://search.nwsource.com/search?sort=date&from=ST&byline=Jonathan%20Zwickel on November 3, 2009 at 1:37 PM
Charles Mudede 2
jz, you have solved and old riddle. there is a real connection between paul revere and its yours.
Posted by Charles Mudede on November 3, 2009 at 2:53 PM
jz 3
The beat on "Paul Revere" was all Run of Run DMC. There was way more give-and-take bt Def Jam artists back then than most people know. "Slow and Low" was, in fact, a Run DMC song they never recorded and passed on to the Beasties.
Posted by jz http://search.nwsource.com/search?sort=date&from=ST&byline=Jonathan%20Zwickel on November 3, 2009 at 4:46 PM
corey j brewer 4
I recently tracked down a copy of the 12" in digital form, enjoy!
http://www.nationofmillions.ca/node/1078
Posted by corey j brewer http://merchbot2000.wordpress.com/ on November 3, 2009 at 9:54 PM
5
a while back, can't remember why- i read the backwards drums on "Paul Revere" were LL Cool J's idea. mighta been his claim.
Posted by Larry Mizell, Jr. on November 4, 2009 at 2:09 AM
6
That Def Jam, Inc. book is fantastic. One of my all-time favorites, for so many reasons. Check it out if you haven't.
Posted by Jeddrock on November 5, 2009 at 12:19 PM

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