One of hip-hop's most storied labels, Def Jam has been the home to some of rap's most famous and influential artists since its inception in 1984. Some of the MCs who the
Rick Rubin/
Russell Simmons-founded company have brought to success are included here on the compilation
MTV Presents Def Jam: Let the People Speak.
LL Cool J,
Redman,
DMX, and
Slick Rick all have at least one track on the album, as do groups like
Public Enemy and
the Beastie Boys. It's part old-school, part party rap, and part contemporary stuff (released pre-2002, however), and though it is missing material from artists like
Jay-Z and
EPMD, it's still a pretty fun collection, and a good overview of all that Def Jam has done for the genre. ~ Marisa Brown, All Music Guide