Def Jam Classics '85-'95

In the beginning there was Def Jam, launched (1984) by Russell Simmons and Rick Rubin out of New York, the epicenter of hardcore hip-hop. By staying true to their artists' no-holds-barred delivery and street-fighting authenticity, Def Jam brought hip-hop to the masses. "Don't Believe the Hype"? Nah — believe it.

First off the presses for Def Jam was LL Cool J, who mutated into one of the label's most accessible artists (not a good thing for hip-hop purists). He never shied away from the pop-crossover ("Going Back to Cali"), but built his reputation on ballistic early work like "I'm Bad," which appears on his second album, Bigger and Deffer.

Redman (born Reggie Noble) made his presence felt in the Def Jam stable during the '90s, keeping alive a force that had waned during the West Coast G-Funk assault. His debut, Whut? Thee Album, blends funky partying with a commanding presence. The hardcore, easy-rhyming Slick Rick put out Behind Bars in '94, after serving jail time.

Without Def Jam, hip-hop may have gone the same way as break-dancing: a footnote for urban connoisseurs rather than a global phenomenon. The label caused a cultural explosion, producing a series of aftershocks that are still felt today, every time we unleash the groundbreaking work of its founding artists. Guiding light Russell Simmons sold his share of Def Jam in 1999, but we've captured the best of the best from his glory years and shoehorned them into one serious playlist.