First Def Jam Release w/ Catalog Number: LL Cool J – “I Need A Beat”


In this interview with Soft Focus, Beastie Boy Adam “Ad-Rock” Horovitz tells the story of how he discovered LL Cool J while digging through a pile of demo tapes in Rick Rubin’s apartment in 1983. Horovitz then created the beat and co-wrote 1984’s “I Need A Beat,” the 3rd release by Def Jam Recordings and first with their logo on the label, which features a few notable observations, including a “reduced by Rick Rubin” production credit.

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