Rick Rubin (Independent Research entry)

What do the Beastie Boys, Johnny Cash, Metallica, Run-DMC, Slayer, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Tom Petty, System of a Down, Weezer, Adele, Limp Bizkit, Dixie Chicks, Shakira, Linkin Park and countless others have in common? The answer is Rick Rubin, he has produced at least one or more of their albums. Rick Rubin was the founder of Def Jam records, he produced some of the most critically acclaimed albums of our time. He is responsible for bringing Rap into the limelight with his unique rock heavy influenced production of Def Jam artists Run-DMC, L.L. Cool J, Public Enemy and the Beastie Boys. He helped launch Run-DMC into national acclaim while at the same time resurrecting Aerosmiths career with the hugely successful remix of “Walk this way”.

After leaving Def Jam records and long time business partner Russell Simmons he started Def American Records where he continued to produce many successful albums, though now he was less constrained about whom he had to work with. Rick’s focus is on the music first before the business end of it, he has to feel the music to want to be involved and produce it. He signed many heavy metal acts like Slayer, Danzig and others. Even though he broke with Def Jam he still continued to produce for many of the artists on the label he helped launch, like LL Cool J, Run DMC and Public Enemy.

Rick dropped the Def from Def American, though he coined the term it had become over used and worn out through out pop culture in the 80’s. Rick Rubin held a funeral for the word figuratively burying the word and its use. The first main artist on the now American Recordings was non other than Johnny Cash, Rubin produced multiple wildly popular Johnny Cash albums. Rick is responsible for having Johnny Cash cover “Hurt” originally written by Nine Inch Nails. To this day Hurt is one of my favorite Johnny Cash songs. He worked with many different famous recording artists during this time. He then become Co-head of Columbia Records. In 2007 Rick won a Grammy for Producer of the Year for his production of the Dixie Chicks, he later won the award again in 2009 for his work with artists like Metallica, Neil Diamond and Weezer.

Rick is a unique force with in the recording industry to say the least; his is considered by many as a Guru and has shaped pop-culture as we know it. He is one of my Music Production idols for his ability to think outside of the box and not be held down by Musical genre barriers, this is a belief I firmly believe in as well. I aspire to be able to work on projects that I feel a personal connection with and thoroughly enjoy like Rick has done through out most if his career. I feel that because of his ability to work easily with artists of many different back grounds and genres and create the best outcome possible he deserves to be labeled the best producer of our time.






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