Russell Simmons

From the 1970s to today, hip-hop has gone from an underground movement to a global industry. One man, Russell Simmons, has overseen much of the music's growth. This promoter/record producer was there during hip-hop's earliest days. The record label he founded with Rick Rubin in 1984, Def Jam Recordings, helped to expose pioneering acts like Kurtis Blow, the Beastie Boys, and Run-D.M.C. to listeners everywhere and brought hip-hop music into the mainstream.

Children's Literature

During the 1970s an underground movement arose among African Americans from poor neighborhoods in New York City as a way for urban blacks to express themselves through music, language, fashion, graffiti art, and dancing. That movement, known as hip-hop, has since emerged above ground to become a global sensation. Russell Simmons was there for much of that transition. Like many young blacks growing up poor in New York City, Simmons had become involved in gang life and drug dealing until deciding instead to promote hip-hop music and turn his life around. Part of the "Business Leaders" series from Morgan Reynolds Publishing, this book highlights the career of a man who changed an underground fad into a multibillion dollar industry and made such musical artists as Run-DMC, LL Cool J, and the Beastie Boys famous. Targeted toward young adults, this thoroughly researched and well documented biography of the man who has become known as the "mogul of rap" comes complete with captioned photographs, informational sidebars, a timeline, bibliography, websites to explore for further information and detailed source notes. Reviewer: Pat Trattles