Rick Rubin (b. 1963)

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Biography

Frederick Jay Rubin is an American record producer. He is a co-founder of Def Jam Recordings, founder of American Recordings, and former co-president of Columbia Records.

In Their Own Words (5)

"I guess edgy things tend to get my attention."

"There’s great wisdom in transitional realms between wakefulness and sleep. Right before you fall asleep, what thoughts and ideas come to you? How do you feel when you wake from a dream? [...] Keeping a dream journal might be of use. Place a pen and paper next to the bed, and as soon as you wake up, begin writing immediately with as much detail as possible before doing anything else."

"Living life as an artist is a practice. You can engage in the practice or not. It makes no sense to say you're not good at it. It's like saying, "I'm not good at being a monk." You either live as a monk or not. We tend to think of the artist's work as the output. The artist's real work is a way of being in the world."

"The Beatles are proof of the existence of God."

"If several directions seem captivating, consider crafting more than one experiment at a time. Working on several often brings about a healthy sense of detachment."

Timeline

The story of Rick Rubin, told in moments.

1984 Event

Co-founded Def Jam Recordings with Russell Simmons in his dorm room. Produced LL Cool J's debut. Then Run-DMC's "Walk This Way" with Aerosmith, which broke hip-hop into the mainstream.

How did you and Russell Simmons build Def Jam from nothing? What made 'Walk This Way' the bridge between hip-hop and rock? Did you know you were breaking mainstream barriers?

1986 Event

Produced the Beastie Boys' Licensed to Ill, the first hip-hop album to reach number one on the Billboard 200. He was 23.

How does it feel to put the first hip-hop album at number one? Were the Beastie Boys as chaotic in the studio as on stage? Was 23 too young to have that much power?

1994 Life

Left Def Jam and founded American Recordings. Produced Johnny Cash's comeback album, also called American Recordings. It was just Cash and his guitar. The album won a Grammy and revived Cash's career.

Why just Cash and his guitar for American Recordings? What made Johnny Cash trust you to revive his career? Is stripping everything down your instinct or your philosophy?

2007 Life

Named co-president of Columbia Records. He's produced albums for Red Hot Chili Peppers, Jay-Z, Metallica, Adele, and dozens of others. His approach: strip everything down to the essentials.

How do you produce for artists as different as Jay-Z and Adele? Is there a common thread across all your work? Does 'strip to the essentials' ever fail?