TO THIS DAY I AM STILL AMAZED BY THE GLOBAL IMPACT AND LONGEVITY OF RUSSELL SIMMONS AND RICK RUBIN. FIRST AND FOREMOST, THE ESTABLISHMENT OF DEF JAM RECORDS, THE LAUNCH PAD THAT HELPED POPULARIZE HIP-HOP MUSIC TO THE MASSES. THIS LABEL, WHICH WAS CREATED IN RUBINS NYU DORM ROOM, WOULD PUT FORTH SUCH ARTISTS AS LL COOL J, THE BEASTIE BOYS, PUBLIC ENEMY, AND SLICK RICK. THESE TWO MEN WERE ALSO RESPONSIBLE FOR ONE OF THE FIRST MASH-UPS, RUN-DMC AND AEROSMITH'S "WALK THIS WAY" AND ESSENTIALLY EXPOSED HIP-HOP MUSIC TO THE MTV AUDIENCE. AS FAR AS HIP-HOP MUSIC TODAY AND IT'S SOCIAL RELEVANCE, IT WAS PRIMARILY BECAUSE OF THESE TWO MEN. ASIDE FROM HIP-HOP MUSIC, RUBIN HAS PRODUCED MANY SUCCESSFUL ALBUMS FROM RED HOT CHILLI PEPPERS "BLOOD, SUGAR, SEX, MAGIC", TO THE DIXIE CHICKS "SHUT-UP AND SING". AS FOR SIMMONS, USA TODAY RECENTLY NAMED HIM ONE OF THE "TOP 25 MOST INFLUENTIAL PEOPLE OF THE PAST 25 YEARS". ASIDE FROM HIS MUSICAL ACCOLADES, SIMMONS CREATED THE "HIP-HOP SUMMIT NETWORK" AS A TOOL HELP MOTIVATE A YOUNGER GENERATION TO USE THEIR VOICE TO MAKE CHANGES IN THEIR COMMUNITY AND COUNTRY.
