[Def Jam Recordings]; Michael Blair; Brian Haberlin

From the private collection of Jay Stewart

Pulled straight off the wall of a CD store in 1997, the present lot is a promotional poster for The Unstoppable!! Def Jam Sampler Tape released that same year. Spotlighting some of the most prominent contributors to the tape—EPMD, Method Man, Foxy Brown, LL Cool J, and Redman—the poster artwork was a co-creation by Brian Haberlin and Michael Blair, two prominent figures in the world of American comic book art.

Arguably no record label can boast the longevity, artist roster, and continued musical & cultural significance of Def Jam Recordings. Originally founded in 1984 by Rick Rubin and Russell Simmons, Def Jam's very first release was T La Rock & Jazzy Jay's "It's Yours". Shortly after, the label would drop LL Cool J's "I Need a Beat", and the Beastie Boys' "Rock Hard". From these noteworthy beginnings Def Jam has grown into a multinational (primarily) Hip Hop recording label boasting many of the absolute biggest names in music history.