There is a bunch of new music and videos to post but I'm really not into anything other than MJ right now so we'll keep it King Of Pop for now. This one comes courtesy of CocaineBlunts and is some unreleased Michael featuring LL Cool J from the Dangerous sessions. I'd never even heard it or knew this existed before today. I love the internet! Click HERE for more MJ and rapper collabos.
Here is a live recording of LL Cool J rocking The Brixton Academy in South London back in '87 or '88 - I'm not sure the exact date. This was the same show he performed on the '87 Def Jam tour with Public Enemy and Eric B & Rakim that you can get HERE, but since The Brixton Academy is one of the more legendary venues in the world and this was LL Cool J at the absolute top of his game I just felt that I had to throw this up. Ladies Love Cool James was so fucking raw at this moment in time. This is the LL that I want to remember, not the "Hey Lover" LL Cool J of the 1990's. Jacked from DefMomentum.
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!
(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)
This is the scene from a pretty rare documentary from Germany called Big Fun In The Big City from the mid 80's. They visit the Def Jam offices and talk to Russell Rush about the Hip-Hop scene in NYC and Def Jam Records. The best part of the whole video is the 2 dudes rappin' out front of the Def Jam office in hopes Russell will give them a deal. Fast forward to the 1:24 mark for the start of the Def Jam segment.
Well, maybe 21 years ago but it would have been cool to hear those dis records! I have a feeling LL would have won, like he ALWAYS HAS (attn: Canibus STANS: He LOST. Mad rapper syndrome). Anyway, this was straight jacked from 1x4YourMind.
Jacked from MOD, this is LL Cool J performing "I'm Bad" at the American Music Awards. I'm guessing it was '88/89. This was when LL's swagger was at it's peek. Actually, looking back on things, LL's movement in this video is pretty much how people act when they try to make fun of rap music. Anyways, the fat gold chain (and I mean fat) and red Troop sweatsuit makes this shit super dope!
LL Cool J & Marley Marl make a good team. Don't believe me? Check HERE, HERE, HERE & HERE. Here is some new shit from them in the form of a Marley Marl produced LL Cool J freestyle!
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.
Still on my old school shit, this one is jacked 1nce again from The Meaning Of Dope. LL talks about how Def Jam was started (he briefly mentions "this guy" T La Rock's record as being the first assotiated with Def Jam), how "I Need A Beat" became the first official 12inch on Def Jam, talks about his show stealing appearance in Krush Groove, how he came up with the idea for "I'm That Type Of Guy", and busts an acapella "Eat Em Up L" verse. This was around the Mama Said Knock You Out era when LL's hats were by far at their biggest.
And just because it's SUPER dope, here is LL's scene from Krush Groove where he raps for Rick Ruben and Run DMC.
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.
