It’s a beautiful art book, published by Rizzoli, entitled Def Jam Recordings:  The First 25 Years of the Last Great Record Label.  It was co-written by Bill Adler, my husband, the record label’s first publicist, and Dan Charnas.

If I were forced to explain what makes my husband, Bill Adler, and I such a good match – we celebrated our 30th wedding anniversary in September – I might just say that I’m a chef who loves music and he’s a music business professional who loves to eat.  And, really, there are very few things that go better together than good food and good music.

Between 1984 and 1990 Bill was the director of publicity for Def Jam Recordings, which would eventually establish itself as the greatest of the labels that concentrated on rap.  Often described as “the Motown of rap,” Def Jam’s artists have included LL Cool J, the Beastie Boys, Public Enemy, Slick Rick, Method Man & Red Man. Jay-Z, DMX, Ludacris, Kanye West, Rick Ross, Young Jeezy, and Rihanna.

The Def Jam book is quite beautiful, a riveting mix of great photos and a surprisingly frank oral history that gives voice to the label’s most important artists and behind-the-scenes executives.
You can order a copy for the hip-hop lover in your life right here.