25 Year Anniversary of Public Enemy's Seminal Album

In the hot, hot summer of 1988 Public Enemy's It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back could be heard in jeeps, boom boxes, and airwaves from coast to coast. It featured sample-rich Bomb Squad beats, powerful lyrics, the stark contrast of Chuck D and Flava Flav's vocals, and the introduction to what later became a standard convention on rap LPs, the interlude. Although it's the kind of album that is best listened to from front to back, here is a taste (or a reminder for those that remember the fury it leashed 25 years ago). 

Records: Def Jam Original 12"s (DJ001-DJ007)

There are a few legendary record labels that are synonymous with Hip-Hop music. Sugar Hill, Enjoy, Cold Chillin', Tommy Boy, Loud, Death Row, and Bad Boy Records all come to mind, but for a Hip-Hop junkie like myself none are more legendary than Def Jam Recordings. Founded by Rick Rubin in his NYU dorm room in 1982 when he released a punk record by his band Hose (the real first record on Def Jam), Def Jam became the the label we know today when Russell Simmons got involved in 1984. I'm not going to run down the history of Def Jam here because it's pretty well documented, plus you can just go HERE and get the full story. This post is all about the first 7 releases on the label. For those that don't collect vinyl, or never got their hands on the original seven, the thing that sets these 12 inches apart are basically the labels. Def Jam's classic black label has become pretty recognizable, but the first seven releases were on a burgundy label. Not sure why they changed the direction of the artwork, and it was probably for the better, but it makes the first seven releases on Def Jam pretty rare and special for record nerds like myself. Some of the original artists like LL Cool J and the Beastie Boys went on to hall of fame careers, others such as Hollis Crew and Jimmy Spicer didn't quite make it to prime time. Either way these records are the shit to me and represent the birth of a dynasty. And just for some bonus Def Jam treats, I threw in the T-La Rock & Jazzy Jay "It's Yours" 12" which was the first Hip-Hop record to have the Def Jam logo on it, and a few tracks by Rick Ruban's band Hose so you can get a taste of what a pre Hip-Hop Rick Ruban was into before he had a hand in blowing Hip-Hop music up worldwide. It isn't Hip-Hop, or even def for the matter, just some music nerdology for you crumbs!

LL Cool J (DJ001)

"I Need A Beat" 12" (1984)

A1 "I Need A Beat" (Vocal)

B1 "I Need A Beat" (Zootie Mix)

B2 "I Need A Beat" (Instrumental)

Produced by Rick Ruben

Beastie Boys (DJ002)

"Rock Hard" 12" (1985)

A1 "Rock Hard"

A2 "Party's Getting Rough"

B1 "Beastie Groove"

B2 "Beastie Groove" (Instrumental)

Produced by Rick Ruben & Beasties

Jazzy Jay (DJ003)

"Def Jam" 12" (1985)

A1 "Def Jam"

B1 "Cold Chillin' In The Spot" Featuring Russell Rush

B2 "Cold Chillin' In The Spot" (Instrumental)

Produced by Rick Ruben

MCA & Burzootie (DJ004)

"Drum Machine" 12" (1985)

A1 "Drum Machine"

A2 "Drum Machine" (Mini Jerk Edit)

B1 "Drum Machine" ((That) Psycho Dust Version)

Produced by Burzootie

LL Cool J (DJ005)

"I Want You" 12" (1985)

A1 "I Want You"

A2 "I Want You" (Instrumental)

B1 "Dangerous"

B2 "Dangerous" (Instrumental)

B3 "Dangerous" (Burnt Mix)

Produced by Rick Ruben

Jimmy Spicer (DJ006)

"This Is It" 12" (1985)

A1 "This Is It"

A2 "This Is It" (Chant, Instrumental)

B1 "Beat The Clock"

B2 "Beat The Clock" (Instrumental)

Produced by Rick Ruben

Hollis Crew (DJ007)

"It's The Beat" 12" (1985)

A1 "It's The Beat"

B1 "It's The Beat" (Instrumental)

B2 "The Beat"

Produced by Jam Master Jay, DJ Run and Rick Ruben

T-La Rock & Jazzy Jay

"It's Yours" 12" (1984)

A1 "It's Yours" (Radio Mix)

A2 "It's Yours" (Instrumental)

B1 "It's Yours" (Scratch Party Death Mix)

B2 "It's Yours" (Instrumental Party)

Produced by Rick Ruban

Hose

(I don't have the full 7" release or the EP, but these are a few tracks of Rick Ruban's band that appeared on the first two Def Jam Recordings releases circa 1982)

1. Girls

2. Dope Fiend

3. Only The Astronaut Knows The Truth

T La Rock - Unkut Interview + LL Cool J "It's Yours" Freestyle (1985)

T La Rock is one of the more slept on Old School Rap Legends there is, but fortunately the folks over at Unkut are not one of those sleeping. The recently caught up with T La Rock and they basically talked about his whole career. If you aren't up on T La Rock he made his name off the Rick Rubin produced record "It's Yours", which was also the first record with the Def Jam logo on it (rap nerd fact: the Beastie Boys did the back up chants and hand claps on "It's Yours"). LL Cool J's "It's Yours" 12 inch ended up being the first official Def Jam release. T La Rock is actually the rapper Def Jam wanted LL Cool J to be. When T La Rock and Def Jam parted ways they scooped up LL Cool J and even considered putting him out under the name T La Rock. This interview covers T La Rock's hooking up with with Rick Rubin, his fall out with Def Jam, LL Cool J, Jazzy Jay, being credited with starting Bass music, putting MC Search on, and a lot more.

Unkut T La Rock Interview Part 1

Unkut T La Rock Interview Part 2

BONUS:

LL Cool J

"It's Yours" freestyle (1985)

Rap Treats #5: Def Jam UK Tour (1987)

This was recorded live in Amsterdam on the 1987 Def Jam UK Tour featuring Public Enemy, LL Cool J and Eric B & Rakim (they weren't on Def Jam but they were managed by RUSH). It's straight bootleg but super ill. One of the greatest tour line ups EVER.

Def Jam 1987 UK Tour

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