With Def Jam celebrating its 30th birthday this year, Noisey sat down the label’s fabled co-founders for a special edition of their “Back & Forth” series. In part one of four, Rick and Russell cosy up on a couch as they reflect on some of the early records that defined Def Jam, including T La Rock and Jazzy Jay’s “It’s Yours” and LL Cool J’s “I Can’t Live Without My Radio.” But for all their impact and success over the last three decades, Def Jam’s original ambitions were charmingly humble, says Rick: “If we sold enough 12 inches to make another 12 inch, that was the whole goal.”

UPDATE: Parts 2, 3 and 4 added.

Watch below…

Part One: T La Rock, LL Cool J and Def Jam’s early ambitions

Part Two: Beastie Boys’ rise to fame

Part Three: Public Enemy

Part Four: Slick Rick

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