If there’s one thing you should set 10 minutes aside for today, it’s this. Nope, not laundry, not dishes, it’s just not as important.
RollingStone produced this excellent 10-minute mini-documentary following Rick Rubin into his old NYU dorm room where he started Def Jam Recordings 30 years ago. Rubin tells multiple stories about the very beginning: starting by how he re-arranged the dorm room so he can DJ to the first meetings with co-president Russell Simmons, LL Cool J, and the Beastie Boys — all of whom came through that dorm room! The original college dorm room success story for the music industry, amirite?!
Not only does Rubin eloquently describe the times, but interviews with Simmons, LL, and Adam Horovitz of the Beastie Boys give the full sides of their own meetings and journeys. Without further ado, press play and scroll below for some of the classic photos shared above and the two, closing, motivational quotables for the artist within (watch above though, for full impact.)
Nothing that happened was intentional. Nothing. Everything was trying to make something cool to play for our friends that they would like. That’s all that it ever was. Then trying to sell enough records to make another record.
– Rick Rubin
We did it effortlessly with love and appreciation for music and that’s it. We didn’t think about nothing else but the music.
– Russell Simmons
