About Me
THIS IS A FAN APPRECIATION SITE FOR PEOPLE WHO ASK THEMSELVES "WWRRD?" (what would Rick Rubin do?). Rick you are a production god!!Frederick Jay Rubin (born 1963) is a record producer and record label owner, best known for his work in the rap and heavy metal genres, and his combination of the two.Once pre-recorded Hip-Hop became commerically available rap records in 1979, the Hip-Hop scene was embraced by the Lower East Side Punk Rock and art community. As a result, many artists from The Bronx and Harlem began performing downtown, and Rubin found himself immersed in Hip-Hop culture. During this time, rappers often used the slang expression that their "style was death." Because "death" is pronounced "def" in African American Vernacular English (AAVN), Rubin did not realize that they were saying "death,"in AAVN but rather thought that "def" was a new slang term. Befriending Zulu Nation DJ Jazzy Jay, Rubin asked for help learning the ropes of Hip-Hop production. By 1983, the two men produced the track It's Yours for rapper T La Rock, and released it on their independent label Def Jam Records. However, it was seen only as a local record, so Jazzy got Arthur Baker involved to re-release the record worldwide on Baker's Streetwise Records. The song is seen as the first record to sustain the Roland TR-808 kick drum, inspiring the Miami Bass sub genre of Hip-Hop.Jazzy Jay introduced Rubin to concert promoter/artist manger Russell Simmons in a club, and Rubin explained he needed help getting Def Jam off the ground. Simmons and Rubin edged out Jazzy Jay and the official Def Jam record label was founded while Rubin was still attending New York University in 1984. Their early records included LL Cool J's "I Need a Beat", which led to the bass heavy top 40 hit "Rock the Bells" in 1985, furthering the inspiration of the Miami Bass sub-genre. Rubin went off the beaten path of Hip-Hop being a product of The Bronx and Harlem by recruiting rappers from Long Island, which eventually led to Def Jam's release of Public Enemy's records. Rubin also produced records by the Beastie Boys and Run DMC, both of them characterised by occasionally fusing rap with heavy rock, but also included many 808 heavy bass tracks. His work on Slayer's Reign in Blood saw him in a purer rock context.In 1988, Simmons and Rubin went their separate ways, Simmons remaining in New York at the helm of Def Jam, and Rubin leaving to Los Angeles to found the Def American label. There he signed a number of heavy rock acts, including Slayer, Danzig, Masters of Reality, The Cult and Wolfsbane, as well as the indie rockers The Jesus & Mary Chain and controversial stand up comedian Andrew Dice Clay, and he produced the Red Hot Chili Peppers' break-through album Blood Sugar Sex Magik. He retained a close association with rap also, signing the Geto Boys and continuing to work with Public Enemy, LL Cool J and Run DMC among others.In 1993, Rubin held an actual funeral (complete with grave) for the word "def" and Def American became American Recordings. This, of course, was something he felt he had the authority to do since the term was actually created by his own misunderstanding. The first major project on the renamed label was Johnny Cash's American Recordings (1994), a record including several covers by artists more closely associated with Rubin than Cash (such as Danzig) and which did much to revive Cash's career following a fallow period. The formula was repeated for three more Cash albums : Unchained, Solitary Man, and The Man Comes Around. Rubin also produced a number of records with other older artists, including Mick Jagger's 1993 "Wandering Spirit" album, Tom Petty (Wildflowers) and Donovan (Sutras), and currently is working on a new Neil Diamond album.He recently produced De-Loused in the Comatorium (2003) by The Mars Volta, a progressive rock group with roots in the punk band At the Drive-In. Collaboration with Flea and John Frusciante for parts of the album was thought to be a result of Rick's long standing friendship with the Red Hot Chili Peppers. He also produced the track "99 Problems" by Jay-Z for The Black Album (2003) and appeared in the video. The same year, Rubin produced heavy metal band Slipknot's 3rd album, Vol. 3 (The Subliminal Verses), to platinum success. Rubin recently produced the System of a Down number one album Mezmerize with Daron Malakian, years after taking on the group's acclaimed multi-platinum sophomore effort, Toxicity. He also worked on Weezer's 2005 album, Make Believe, and produced Audioslave's second release, Out of Exile. He is currently working with rap artist and crunk pioneer Lil Jon as well as producing a new Red Hot Chili Peppers album, Stadium Arcadium, set for release in early 2006. This album is being recorded in the same mansion in Hollywood as "Blood Sugar Sex Magik".Recently, Rubin met Lil' Jon and said to him " you make the same kind of music I started off making," implying that the Crunk genre's formula of bass heavy beats moving along at 100 beats per minute was one of Rubin's inventions during the mid-1980's
