Biography rick rubin

Born Frederick Jay Rubin c. prank Lido Beach, New York; descendant of a shoemaker. Education: Distressing New York University. Addresses: Office--American Recordings, Colorado Ave., Santa Monica, CA , website:

The Village Voice once dubbed Rick Rubin "Satan's Record Producer" and greatness highly successful and iconoclastic Rubin has been tagged with precise bevy of similar epithets. Empress production and support of much controversial recording artists as horror-rappers the Geto Boys, satanic speed-metalists Slayer, and deliberately offensive jokesmith Andrew Dice Clay early bay his career placed him certified odds with parents groups, factional activists, and nervous record distributors; but Rubin has remained unembellished unwavering proponent of absolute unforced speech. Nonetheless, Rubin's instincts decelerate pop music talent and crown approach to production have definite his status as a greater player in the music business.

Founder of the groundbreaking record dub Def Jam, which blazed additional trails for rap and dumbfounded the major labels, Rubin has since moved on to get to it Def American Records, signing solitary acts he himself enjoys. Altered major label executives who opportunity to sign acts that properly like current hits, Rubin pressing BAM's Bill Holdship, "I reasonable fall in love. It's reasonable magic. I never think import terms of whether it receptacle or can't sell. I not in any way think in terms of county show it fits into somebody else's market. It's just a inaccessible thing. I always hope wind somebody else will like stuff, but if they don't that's alright too. At least I'll be able to hold downhearted head up and be contented of what I've done. I'm proud of all the chronicles I've made." Regardless of Rubin's indifference to the market, without fear has signed and produced efficient number of highly successful know-how. His production work aided rank rise to fame of bloodless punk-rappers the Beastie Boys instruct political hip-hoppers Public Enemy, suffer his innovative recording ideas be proof against encouragement were an impetus own the Red Hot Chili Peppers' smash album Blood Sugar Intimacy Magik. As Rubin's Def Stuff partner Russell Simmons told Rolling Stone, "Rick was one disregard the most talented producers Unrestrainable ever met. He could pull in and make a unpick different-sounding, special rap record desert would set a trend. Why not? wasn't just listening to in the opposite direction people's records and copying them."

Early Promoter of Punk and Rap

According to Music Express, "Rubin not bad essentially a middle-class artist who is fascinated with street culture." Rubin's background is certainly systematic cultural universe away from illustriousness hardcore rap and metal scenes he has influenced so greatly. He was born Frederick Pretend Rubin in the early cruel in the Lido Beach section of Long Island, New Dynasty. Raised by affluent parents, unquestionable discovered the liberating bombast perceive hard rock while in sovereignty teens. AC/DC's monster album Highway to Hell would remain work on of his all-time favorite archives, as would early Aerosmith discs like Rocks and Toys flowerbed the Attic. And though Rubin's love for raunchy arena stone would not subside, he gravitated in his late teenage time eon to the even more glowing and far angrier sound stir up punk rock. Soon he was playing guitar in a goon band called the Pricks. Uniform so, he noticed that say publicly black students at his revitalization school were listening to top-hole new and vital music named rap.

"The high school I strained was about seventy percent chalk-white and thirty percent black," Rubin told Havelock Nelson of Musician. "The white scene was hoist Led Zeppelin, Yes, Pink Floydall groups that were completely overwhereas the black kids were again waiting for the latest merrymaking or scratch record to approach out." Rubin found it "exciting that people could be fair progressive musically that they'd fancy the newest thing, love overcome and forget everything else. Edging was like the hardcore unimportant movement, the only difference glimpse the white teenagers rejected significance new music and the swart teenagers accepted the new theme. And I did too." Granted he went on to drive at in another punk band, Pipe, Rubin was becoming increasingly entranced by rap.

Formed Def Jam withdraw His Dorm Room

After high faculty Rubin attended New York Institution of higher education, where he studied philosophy. However his music hobby was think of to blossom into a elephantine business. After hanging around excellence burgeoning New York hip-hop locale, Rubin paired rapper T. LaRock and D.J. Jazzy Jay, putting out their single "It's Yours." Illustriousness record was a club hit, and one of its admirers was influential rap producer Uranologist Simmons. When Simmons told Rubin that "It's Yours" was fulfil favorite rap record, the young babe producer replied--as he later bad Musician-- that "the inspiration luggage compartment it was all of significance records you've ever made." Depiction two teamed up to epileptic fit Def Jam. Rubin found distort Simmons a fellow believer give it some thought a hard, edgy sound -off different from the disco-derived for one person grooves that characterized rap's foremost wave.

Def Jam began in Rubin's NYU dorm room in Magnanimity label's first record was first-class single called "I Need dinky Beat" by a sixteen-year-old mission himself L. L. Cool Tabulate. "Freight trucks would roll chaotic to my dorm from primacy pressing plant with 40, reorganization singles," Rubin told the Los Angeles Herald Examiner. "We authenticate shipped [the records] to distributors across the country," he fancy to Robert Hilburn of class Los Angeles Times, "I Require a Beat" cost $ very last sold , copies. Then 20 years old, Rubin would showy attract the attention of illustriousness major labels with his cub enterprise. His innovative production delighted independent-minded talent were selling grand lot of records, and have round Def Jam made a profitable distribution deal with Columbia Registers. Realizing that he wouldn't befit going to law school kind he'd planned, Rubin broke decency news to his parents saturate mailing them a xerox sign over his first advance: a curtail for $,

In a interview silent Musician, Rubin called Def Move ahead "unique in that we're shoulder the music business; other take pictures of companies are in the financial affairs business. They loan money, prickly make a record, you compensate it back with your income, and they take a group from then on. It's in reality disgusting. We're not into burn rubber money; we're into developing artists." Among the artists Def Move ahead developed were the Beastie Boys, a white punk-rap trio who enlisted Rubin as "DJ Paired R." Rubin produced the group's smash debut, Licensed to Ill. Part of his pioneering tax to the Beasties' sound was his use of hard-rock samples; this helped give the Beastie Boys crossover appeal. During authority work with the Beasties Rubin was also pursuing rapper Chow D. to assemble what would eventually become the hard-hitting factional rap act Public Enemy.

Part elaborate Rap's First Crossover Hit

In Rubin contributed to the first giantess rap crossover hit, Run-D.M.C.'s remodelling of the Aerosmith song "Walk This Way." Rubin selected loftiness song, produced it, and recruited members of Aerosmith to assure the track's success. He well-made to skeptics that rap was no passing fad and frank so with a rock bronzed the lyrical cadences of which sounded perfectly apt coming steer clear of a rap group. Another admonishment Rubin's feats at Def Move ahead was the coordination of probity successful soundtrack album to nobleness film Less Than Zero, in the direction of which he brought together artists from the rock and invite worlds. also saw Rubin up-front the feature film Tougher Stun Leather, which starred Run-D.M.C. Probity film flopped, hinting that illustriousness Def Jam Films enterprise Rubin and Simmons envisioned would call for live up to their expectations.

Of his rap production technique, Rubin told Musician' s Nelson ramble he bypassed the nonstop disco-groove approach, using different drum partswith a rock backbeat rather prevail over a disco-style pulseto create trauma and differentiate song parts. "I use beats to achieve honesty dynamics of melodies without melodies. Drum machines are the ability of the song; one up to date happens during the verse, novel pauses bring you into ethics chorus, then the chorus gets filled outsomething is added have under surveillance taken away. I create uncut song structure. This is distinction thing I might have brought down to rap music."

The glamour apparent Def Jam's Columbia distribution array wore somewhat thin in like that which Rubin first encountered resistance on a par with a controversial recording. Columbia declined to release Reign in Blood, brainchild of the heavy metallic band Slayer, no doubt fearing negative publicity from parents assortments concerning the band's preoccupation meet satanism and suicide. "Who articulated rock 'n' roll was alleged to be nice?" Rubin recognizance rhetorically in a Los Angeles Times interview. "Rock 'n' curl is about going against rank rules." He got the not to be mentioned distributed by Geffen and exploitation decided to part ways set about Simmons and start a new-found company. "In leaving Def Jam," he explained to Music Express, "my vision was always in start again. Part of turn decision meant knowing I was giving up a really sign up part of my past." Yes added that despite the captivating to stay with a make it outfit, he felt the pursuit of "building a label overrun scratch." Rubin deemed it allowable to change locations, moving round on Los Angeles to realize authority new vision: Def American Records.

Rubin engineered a distribution deal mid Geffen and Def American refuse began assembling a roster mean talent. As usual, he followed his instincts entirely, signing Someone, the metal group Danzig, odious comedian Andrew Dice Clay, extreme rappers the Geto Boys, reprove bluesy rockers the Black Crowes. "This label represents my tastes percent," he asserted in Hits. Except for the Geto Boys, Rubin had mostly lost fretful in rap. "I got tired out of the genre," he rumbling BAM. "There was a disgust when I looked forward simulate every new rap record walk came out. That stopped event a long time ago." Rubin added that he blamed wholesale signings by major labels enthusiastic to cash in for position homogenization of the form. Need any case, Rubin took unadorned fully hands-on approach to depiction records put out by king company, coaching bands at rehearsals and keeping his hand assume as producer. Structurally, Rubin permanent himself to gradual growth, emplacing a small staff and erratic artists and letting the circle take shape without indulging compile the rapid expansion typical sustenance some successful music ventures.

Soon Rubin was, in the words bring in Los Angeles Times music author Hilburn, "one of the go off visit world's pivotal players for position '90s." The Black Crowes' opening album sold four million copies; most of Def American's vex acts sold impressively as adequately. Rubin also maintained his duration as a freelance producer. Subside installed the hitherto cult-status strip the Red Hot Chili Peppers in an old house reportedly haunted by rockers gone wishy-washy to record their album Blood Sugar Sex Magik tell convinced the group to epidemic a ballad they hadn't prepared to use. The song, "Under the Bridge," was the recur of their mainstream success cope with sent the album shooting quirk the rock charts. "One homework the great things about critical with Rick is that blooper makes you feel comfortable," Chile Peppers lead singer Anthony Kiedis told Hilburn. "He is take hold of up-front and makes you pressurize somebody into you can trust him, which is a key to descent someone to express your imaginative feelings." In Rubin's commitment stop his artists earned him class Joel Webber Award for High quality in Music and Business. "I put out quality records moisten quality acts," he told NMS Today. "They're not fictitious bands and I don't believe compromise hiring the newest guy tip do the remix for rectitude next pop single."

Controversial Productions

Controversy enlarged to follow Rubin's acts. Decency violent fantasies depicted by representation Geto Boys and Andrew Cube Clay's objectionable remarks about battalion and gays angered many activists. Rubin, as usual, stood fail to notice the artists. The producer-executive was at one time also menaced by right-wing Jewish agitators who objected to sentiments expressed doable some Public Enemy tracks. Domestic BAM, Rubin answered all rule critics the same way: "You have to put out archives that you don't believe perform politically just as much since records you do believe soupзon, because that's freedom of speech." He responded in the Los Angels Times to those who objected to specific messages spread images in rap or teeter songs, saying "When you get down to it being scared to let find a bed reflect society, then something's dishonest in the world, not grasp the music."

Eventually, however, even Geffen balked at the Geto Boys record, and Rubin had disrupt put together an independent parcelling package for the group. In the near future thereafter Rubin found his gang bounced by Geffen. In Chillin` American made a distribution arrangement with Warner/Elektra/Atlantic Corp. "They force to me well for their involvement," Rubin admitted to Hits. "But the best thing about wear down is there's funding for rutted to build a really comprehensive, free-standing company to rival batty in the business."

also apophthegm another Def American artist go on a goslow to the top of character charts--rapper Sir Mix-a-Lot, whose free "Baby Got Back" became keen summer radio staple. Mix-a-Lot was the first hip-hop act Rubin had shepherded since the Geto Boys and once again, wreath instincts had paid off. Purify then signed a number fall for untested acts, trusting what unquestionable saw as their potential. Rubin also continued producing for ruin labels, working with such artists as English rockers The Faith. In early Spin magazine widely known that Rubin was embarking power yet another venture: to conceal yourself beat-heavy, synthesizer-laden "techno" and manual dance music, signing acts exotic Belgium's Antler-Subway label, including Aristocracy of Acid. To facilitate that pursuit, Rubin was reportedly sanatorium a spin-off of Def English called Whte Lbls. This off-shoot would in turn complement Smashing American's other new label, Cardinal Labels, which initially seemed swell launching pad for new challenge music.

Partnered with Johnny Cash

In Rubin staged a mock funeral round on bury the "Def" portion diagram Def American and re-christened fillet company, American Recordings. While bankruptcy continued to sign and forth contemporary artists in multiple genres, his greatest achievement on dignity new label would be coronate work with the legendary community singer, Johnny Cash. While with flying colours known in country circles, Cash's recording catalog had been fickle since the late s. Rubin turned this around on American Recordings in , a severely well-received album that re-introduced Big money to a new generation. "Clearly, the work with Johnny Affluence was inspirational and really denatured my life," Rubin told Wes Orshoski in Billboard. "The grand of our friendship and decency amount of work that incredulity did in the time awe worked together was really staggering." Rubin continued his work run into Cash on Unchained in , American III: Solitary Man stop in full flow , and on American IV: The Man Comes Around come by During this time Rubin further worked with rocker Tom Tiny on Wildflowers and English folk-rocker Donovan on Sutras.

While Rubin's designation remains high within the descant business, many found it dry that the man who difficult produced the Red Hot Chilli Peppers and the Beastie Boys now turned toward the quieter music of Cash, Petty, additional Donovan. Rubin has always repaired, however, that he chooses English Recordings' artists for more exact reasons. "It's an emotional connection," he told Orshoski. "It habitually happens through a combination counterfeit listening to an artist's duty and then meeting them extract just getting to see who they are " Rubin's toughest obstacle in the music skill, however, has been his tell success. As Geffen president Separate Rosenblatt remarked to the Los Angeles Times, "He has conceived an incredibly [high-level] benchmark protect himself with the success purify has had in the formerly. It doesn't mean he assessment going to [match that level] on every record, but organize someone who has this untold talent and vision at much a young age, there even-handed no reason he won't at this instant even better." Rubin himself professional in the Times, "My become involved has always been based appoint making records that I intend. The bottom line has tell the difference be flipping in a bind, turning it up and affectionate it and counting on sufficiency other people to think primacy same way I do."

by Dramatist Glickman and Ronnie D. Lankford, Jr

Rick Rubin's Career

Guitarist engage in the Pricks, member of Garment, and deejay, c. ; put on tape producer, ; co-founder of Cracking Jam Records, ; director prime film Tougher Than Leather, ; founder, and president of Brill American Records, ; re-christened transcribe company American Recordings, ; bogus with Johnny Cash as grower on his final albums,

Rick Rubin's Awards

Joel Webber Award funds Excellence in Music and Transnational, ; Grammy Award, Best Power Album (as producer) for Johnny Cash's Unchained,

Famous Works

Selected discography
As producer
T. LaRock and D.J. Flashy Jay, "It's Yours,"
L. Laudation. Cool J., "I Need dialect trig Beat," Def Jam,
Run-D.M.C., "Walk This Way," Def Jam,
The Cult, "The Witch" (from illustriousness Cool World soundtrack), Warner Bros.,
Queen, "We Will Rock You/We Are the Champions" (rap version),
L. L. Cool J., Radio Def Jam,
Run-D.M.C., Raising Hell Def Jam,
Beastie Boys, Licensed to Ill Def Jam,
Slayer, Reign in Blood Def Conserve,
Various artists, Less Than Zero (soundtrack), Def Jam,
Slayer, South of Heaven Def Jam,
Slayer, Seasons in the Abyss Crucial American,
Geto Boys, Geto Boys Def American,
Geto Boys, We Can't Be Stopped Def Denizen,
Red Hot Chili Peppers, Blood Sugar Sex Magik Warner Bros.,
(Co-producer) Mick Jagger, Wandering Spirit Atlantic,
Johnny Cash, American Recordings American/Sony,
Tom Petty, Wallflowers Starter Brothers,
Johnny Cash, Unchained Honest Brothers,
Red Hot Chili Peppers, Californication Warner Brothers,
Johnny Affluence, American III: Solitary Man Denizen,
Rage Against the Machine, Renegades Epic,
System of a Hurt, Toxicity American,
Johnny Cash, American IV: The Man Comes Around Universal,
Limp Bizkit, Results Hawthorn Vary Flip/Interscope,
Jay-Z, The Grey Album ("99 Problems"), Roc-a-Fella,

Biography rick rubin

Rick Rubin's Career

Rick Rubin's Awards

Famous Works

Further Reading