Known as the most well-known music guru from the late 90s, Rick Rubin has played a part in many hit songs from the iconic era. After co-founding Def Jam Recordings, Rick helped many hip-hop songs and rappers earn the recognition they deserved. From Jay-Z (99 Problems) and Eminem to Johnny Cash and Linkin Park, there’s no genre Rick hasn’t worked with.
Rubin’s music career began when he was a student at NYU, with the formation of the record label Def Jam Recordings. He knew what he wanted and started working more toward Hip Hop themed songs with the help of DJ Jazzy Jay. This record label was working with tons of different artists up until the year 1988, after which Rick decided to leave the label and start one of his own. Whether it was the different directions both the founders wanted to go in or the fact that “Def” had lost its hippie charm, Rick’s decision was final.
Despite leaving his original label, Rick was still able to produce some of the best albums in the music industry. Rick’s work is considered special because he personalizes his perspective based on which artist he’s dealing with. He’s able to connect with the artist’s music and lyrics on a deeper level and provide advice that would actually benefit the singer. Rubin was also the man behind Johnny Cash’s revival after a long time with the album The Man Comes Around.
Rick Rubin: The Most Influential Record Producer
Rick was born to a shoe wholesaler from New York on March 10th, 1963. He was introduced to music at his school by playing the guitar, but it was only after joining college later on that he was able to start his record label “Def Jam Recordings”. Through this label, he was able to help aspiring musicians from areas such as the Bronx, Harlem, and Brooklyn. Rubin’s interest had always been in hip-hop and rap, and most of his songs would have hip-hop and heavy rock fused to create a masterpiece.
English rock band, The Cult, was able to produce its most classic work with the help of Rubin back in 1987. Things between Lyor Cohen, Def Jam Recording’s president, and Rick started to go in different directions, and it was high time for Rubin to leave Def Jam. At first, his new label wasn’t much different, with it being Def American Recordings. Unfortunately, the word Def had become a mainstream word by 1993, and this didn’t sit right with Rubin. He dropped off the word and even held a small funeral for it.
Through this label, he was able to produce six albums with Red Hot Chili Peppers. Their collaborations were so successful that almost 12 songs dominated the Billboard chart for alternative music up until 2015. He was later able to work with Mick Jagger on his album Wandering Spirit, later with AC/DC on Ballbreaker, and with Shakira on two albums that were released in 2005 and are known for all-time hits like “Hips Don’t Lie“. He began working with another record label named Columbia Records, through which he created songs with Linkin Park and Metallica, to name a few.
Although Rick’s work is now mostly lowkey, he signed a new deal with a holding company to develop his home studio in July 2021. Earlier this year, Rubin debuted as an author through his book “The Creative Act: A Way Of Being,” which talks about his experiences with creativity and how to be creative naturally. Rick will always remain a trademark for raw and real music that doesn’t force an artist to comply with trends and instead focuses on creating music from the heart.
Rick Rubin’s Net Worth
After having worked in more than 5 Record Labels, Rick has managed to build his career successfully. At present, Rick’s estimated to have a net worth of around 250 to 300 million US Dollars, which makes him one of the highest-earning producers from the late 90s and early 2000s. Despite having a huge fortune to his name, Rick works with artists to bring their best vision to life and not just because he wants to make more money as seen in the case of most record labels.
At times the music producer did receive criticism for being absent from meetings by Slipknot’s front-man, but seeing his legacy as a music producer who is more about the “Vibe” than anyone else, it’s only understandable that the producer would like to maintain his alone time. He lives with his wife, Marielle Herrera, in Malibu, California. You can now catch him showing up with random podcasters to guide the new generation with his wise words.
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