Def Jam 1985-2001: History of Hip Hop, Vol. 1 [Explicit Lyrics]

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
As Chuck D. put it, "most of my heroes don't appear on no stamps." But quite a few of them have been signed to Def Jam records. Aside from a brief period in the early '90s (anyone remember Downtown Science?), rap's premier label has remained ahead of the game for the past 15 years. Proof positive is this collection. Starting with LL Cool J's classic "Radio," it gathers many of the label's early hits--singles that were wildly successful at a time when hip-hop didn't have many commercially viable outlets--along with several of its new generation platinum-plus selections.

Besides the well-chosen inclusion of Domino's sadly overlooked "Getto Jam" and Oran "Juice" Jones's classic "The Rain," there aren't many surprises in the lineup, which is a good thing. From EPMD to Jay-Z, all the songs you wanna hear are right here. On the minus side, 3rd Bass and Nice and Smooth could have been better represented, and we could have done without the Foxy Brown and Ja Rule tracks. All told, however, this is a bit of History worth owning. --Rebecca Levine

Def Jam 1985-2001: History of Hip Hop, Vol. 1,Various Artists,Utv Records,Club/Dance,East Coast Rap,Gangsta Rap,Golden Age,Hardcore Rap,Hip-Hop,Pop,Pop-Rap,Rap,Rap & Hip-Hop,Rap Collections,Urban,West Coast Rap

Def Jam 1985-2001: History of Hip Hop, Vol. 1 [Explicit Lyrics]

Tracks:

I Can't Live Without My Radio - LL Cool J
Fight For Your Right - Beastie Boys
The Rain - Oran 'Juice' Jones
Children's Story - Slick Rick
Fight The Power - Public Enemy
Pop Goes The Weasel - 3rd Bass
Crossover - EPMD
Sometimes I Rhyme Slow - Nice & Smooth
Slam - Onyx
Getto Jam - Domino
Regulate - Warren G
I'll Be There For You/You're All I Need To Get By (Puff Daddy Mix) - Method Man
Get Me Home - Foxy Brown
Da Rockwilder - Method Man/Redman
Can I Get A... - Jay-Z/Ja Rule
Holla Holla - Ja Rule
Party Up (Up In Here) - DMX

Amazon.com

As Chuck D. put it, "most of my heroes don't appear on no stamps." But quite a few of them have been signed to Def Jam records. Aside from a brief period in the early '90s (anyone remember Downtown Science?), rap's premier label has remained ahead of the game for the past 15 years. Proof positive is this collection. Starting with LL Cool J's classic "Radio," it gathers many of the label's early hits--singles that were wildly successful at a time when hip-hop didn't have many commercially viable outlets--along with several of its new generation platinum-plus selections.

Customer Reviews:

Def Jam Needs To Open The Vaults (Rating: 5 out of 10- -2.5 stars).......2007-05-29

With a title like "Def Jam 1985-2001: The History Of Hip Hop, Vol. 1" you would think that they would take you through the history of their record company over a 16 year period. Well they do...sort of. Since '85 (the year I was born), Def Jam has had a major spin of artists that were on their roster, that had big hits. Artists like LL Cool J, The Beastie Boys, and Public Enemy really held down the company through the mid to late 80's with chart topping singles like "Radio", "Fight For Your Right" and "Fight The Power" respectively. Some of the lesser known artists from the 80's were on here as well like Oran "Juice" Jones with his song "The Rain" (the reason I bought this album, because I couldn't find the song anywhere else). Then in the 90's they have most of the artists who are currently hanging around today like Jay-Z (of course), DMX, Redman, Method Man, Foxy Brown. Most of them all scored hits and chart topping singles with the songs on here.

So why such a low rating? Good question. Every one of these song here bang, but this doesn't cover all of Def Jam's roster within the 16 year period. You're probably thinking that as big as Def Jam was, everybody wouldn't be able to fit on one CD. True, but the problem that I have is that most of these songs are easily accessable, with the exception of a few, and mostly on their solo albums. Notice how there are few artists from the west coast on here. In fact there are only two; Warren G. and Domino. Many people may not know that Def Jam left out a boat load of artists who had singles just as good as the ones on here and could have blown up if they had the correct promotion. Artists like Jayo Felony, Richie Rich, South Central Cartel (just to name a few) had banging singles just as the ones on this CD, but suffered poor promotion back in the 90's. Who ever was on Def Jam's marketing team should have been fired. Those people should have a place on this album as well as others that should be accessable to fans of Def Jam at a reasonable price. It sucks that we are given a CD full of people that everybody knows (not to mention there are aready a few other Def Jam Greatest Hits CD's that are floating around). Most of these songs were already played into the ground back in the day, and fans already have the albums that these songs are on.

What I'm trying to say is that Def Jam needs to expose the artists that they just forgot back in the day, not to mention let their albums go out of print. Here are some of the albums/artists who suffered poor promotion that didn't make it on the album: Take a Ride, All Day Everyday, Conversation, Seasoned Veteran, This Is the Shack, just to name a few. Given those album might not have had banging singles like the ones on this album, but if they had the proper promotion and air play, they would have gold/platnum plaques. Some of the lesser know artists get exposed on the Def Jam Music Group Inc.: 10th Year Anniversary, but not all of them...let alone paying a high price for that. It sucks that Def Jam has forgotten a chunk of their roster, and doing whatever it can to make sure they stay forgotten by not putting them on this LP. Buy this if you're looking for some old big name hits by big name artists at the time the songs came out. But you can make a Def Jam Greatest Hits CD yourself, and not spend any money on this here. Hopefully Def Jam will open their vaults, and dig deeper to expose fans of artists that they forgot on the "History of Hip Hop, Vol. 2" album, but with all the new artists and it's new management, there is a lesser chance of that happening. Peace.

good.......2005-03-30

this is a good compilation but where the hell is t la rock and jazzy jay's it's yours? thats a rap classic for sure and i reckon def jam's first record should at least be on the greatest hits. its not on here and it ain't on the other one either. WTF?!?

Def Jam Classics.......2001-08-10

Def Jam has developed the reputation of being the staple of hip-hop music. From the days when LL Cool J and the Beastie Boys ruled the airwaves to the modern times of Ja Rule and Method Man, theyv'e always been able to sign the superstar artists. Def Jam's History of Hip-Hop compilation captures the shining moments of their time as rap's dominant label in one album. Only the classic rap anthems make the record.Slick Rick's "Children Story" and EPMD's "Crossover" are too joints alone that make this album a must have. Throw in the G-funk of Warren G and Nate Dogg's Long Beach duet "Regulate", Jay-Z's club-banger "Can I Get A" and Mary J and Method Man's "All I Need Remix" and there are just too many jewels to pass up. All of these tracks belong on any bodys musical collection and theres no better way to get them than in one dope cd.

REVIEW.......2001-02-20

This is a great CD with alot of good songs on it, spanning three decades. It has a variety of different styles and doesn't get old. It is great for me because I like new music as well as old school music.

All Of These Are Just Dope!.......2001-02-19

Man, unless they remix these all to hell, there's no way this list can screwed up. I mean you have old school stuff like Public Enemy and the Beastie Boys, new school stuff like Jay-Z and Ja Rule, plus all of the isht in the middle. Thing is destined for stardom! Yeah, well I guess that's all there is to say.