Five good reasons why Rick Rubin is the man:
Johnny Cash 'Hurt' [QT Video]: Every day, for the months before Johnny Cash died, he'd call Rick every day to give him communion, saying "And they retired to a large upper room for the Passover feast, and Jesus picked up the bread…" and so on. Have you ever heard anything cooler than that?
LL Cool J 'Going Back to Cali' [iTunes link]: Maybe the best ever use of an 808 in a hip hop record?
Beastie Boys 'Rhymin' & Stealin' [iTunes link]: When I was 15, this was the coolest thing I'd ever heard. If you're in any doubt about Rick's skills, listen to this cover version by comedy voice-over man turned hip hop 'artist' Penthouse J.
Jay-Z '99 Problems' [QT Video]: Rubin says all the music he likes is punk. AC/DC are punk, the Beatles are punk, and hip hop is 'black punk'.
Run DMC 'Walk This Way' [Real Video]: When DMC and Run first heard the lyrics on 'Walk This Way', they called it 'hillbilly gibberish'. And yes, that picture is Rick in the studio, recording 'Walk this Way' with Run DMC at the desk and Steven Tyler looming.
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