Rick Rubin's Top 9 Essential Songs of the '80s.

The Def Jam Records label, born in the mid-1980s, is legendary... And understandably so: Rick Rubin launched the record company right out of the dormitory he lived in as a student at "New York University"!

And who does not know about the legendary antics of the producer, which repeatedly hit the headlines of top publications? Yes, the life of this outstanding man could well be the basis of some exciting film....

What has always set Rubin apart in the production field is his creative thinking and out-of-the-box thinking. His brash rock sound and punk scene influences have played a key role in shaping hip-hop as a commercial force!

We suggest you enjoy the coolest tracks produced by this genius!

9. LL Cool J - Going Back To Cali (1988)

A hip-hop/rap composition that became the soundtrack to the film Less Than Zero. The single reached the Billboard top 40, as well as the top 20 on the R&B / Hip-Hop Songs chart. In 1991, the work was rewarded with a gold medal from the RIAA.

Rick Rubin later recalled:

"At times I can write a song about anything. But Going Back To Cali was a very personal thing for me. I used to spend a lot of time in California, where I found the inspiration to write this song... By the way: I think this was the last record I made with LL Cool J!"

8. Run-DMC - Christmas In Hollis (1987)

This is a kind of magic in the hip-hop genre! The title of the song refers to Hollis, the New York neighbourhood where the members of Run-DMC grew up.

Rick Rubin on how a love of music turned into a dazzling career:

"My family wanted me to pursue a law degree. However, my parents also supported me in all my endeavours, including music... At first, I considered it as a hobby, a youthful pastime... I never considered music as my main job or profession. But it soon became an integral part of my life..."

7. Beastie Boys - (You Gotta) Fight For Your Right (1987)

This song, released as part of the Beastie Boys' debut album, was included in New Musical Express magazine's list of the "500 Greatest Songs of All Time". What's more! It, and the famous Hey Ladies, are in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame!

By the way: why has the Licensed To Ill album itself become incredibly successful? Let's hear it for Rick Rubin:

"It took us a long, long time to record all this material... And the reason why Licensed To Ill has been a great success is that absolutely every song has a life of its own! Of course, we could have recorded this record in a couple of months... But we didn't have that breadth and depth then! All in all, we spent 2 years of our lives on this work... This album reflects all the events of that time that affected us in one way or another...".

6. Beastie Boys - Girls (1986)

This song was the last single from the debut album Licensed to Ill. By the way, there is a very curious fact about Girls: the Beastie Boys never performed it live... Simply because it didn't fit their rap standards.

Here's what Rick Rubin had to say about the song:

"The song Girls was written by me on the train. It was inspired by a song called Shout! by The Isley Brothers. The melody was running around in my head all the way through and I just made my own version of it... Yeah, the lyrics of Girls are really stupid... But it sounds really cool!"

5. Beastie Boys - The New Style (1986)

Another classy composition in the hip-hop genre.

Russell Simmons, one of the founders of the Def Jam Recordings label, later recalled how the Beastie Boys decided to leave the company:

"It was difficult for these guys to find a common language with Lior and Rick. If Lior was a leader in every sense of the word, Rick was just a genius... I'm sure: if they had stayed, their next album would have been on the world market! They would have been on Eminem's level, maybe even higher... But it was easier for them to leave. It's their choice."

4. Beastie Boys - No Sleep Til Brooklyn (1986)

The song was released as a single in 1987. Its title, No Sleep Til Brooklyn, plays off the title of the album No Sleep 'til Hammersmith by the rock band Motörhead.

Let's listen to Rick Rubin:

"We wrote lyrics together: we shared ideas and then put them together... We talked a lot about this and that... Almost every night we went to the club Danceteria. There we had a lot of fun, found inspiration and just had a good time after work. By the way: the work on this song lasted a whole month...".

3. Run-DMC ft. Aerosmith - Walk This Way (1986)

At first, this song belonged exclusively to the rock band Aerosmith! It first saw the light of day as part of the album Toys in the Attic. The author of the hit song is Steven Tyler and Joe Perry. In early 1977, Walk This Way reached number 10 on the Billboard Hot 100. But it, like the band itself, was soon forgotten about....

Rick Rubin, who always loved bold experiments with sound, brought Aerosmith back to popularity in the 80s! That's when Walk This Way was re-recorded by the rockers together with Run-DMC!

This cover gave birth to a new genre - rap rock!

2. LL Cool J - Rock The Bells (1986)

This track is sure to be familiar to all fans of LL Cool J. The hip-hop singer later recalled signing to Rick Rubin's label:

"For a long time I sent my demo tapes to different major labels, but they all refused to co-operate with me... Then I sent the tape to Rick. I remember calling him - I couldn't wait to find out if he listened to it and what he thought... Finally, he called me back and we arranged a meeting...".

 

"...We first met in the dormitory at 5 University Place. He said: "I'm Rick." And I replied in amazement, "You, Rick? I thought you were black!"

1. T La Rock & Jazzy Jay - It's Yours (1984)

In his interview, Rick Rubin shared details about the creation of this song:

"It's Yours was the first record I did purely on my own! I knew that we all did really interesting, deep stuff! Each of them was cool and unique... But It's Yours was in my eyes a masterpiece..."

Conclusion...

Based on this selection, it's clear: Rick Rubin is not just a producer. He is an innovator who is not used to limiting himself to any single genre. He doesn't just create a marketable sound... This man helps talented people unlock their rich potential!