Def American Recordings

Def American Recordings was founded by Rick Rubin in 1988 after splitting with then-partner Russell Simmons and Def Jam Recordings because of the former’s increasingly eclectic tastes. The first-ever Def American release was Slayer’s [i]Reign in Blood[/I], which, ironically, had a Def Jam logo on its first pressing. However, because Simmons felt that it was not in line with Def Jam, and because Def Jam’s then-distributor, Columbia/CBS Records, refused to release it, it was released through Geffen and Warner Bros., and Rubin took the rights of the release to the new label with him after the split. Initially, it was distributed by Geffen Records through Warner Bros. Records, but when Geffen refused to distribute the self-titled album by the Geto Boys and the controversy it caused, Rubin switched distribution to Warner Bros. proper, which released all subsequent Def American titles. In 1993, Rubin found the word “def” in a dictionary, and renamed the label American Recordings after a large mock-funeral that was presided over by the Reverend Al Sharpton. Rubin felt that the mainstreaming of the word “def” was against the anti-establishment image that he was trying to project for the company. [b]Important note:[/B] All Def American product that was in-print at the time of the name switch was repressed with the new American Recordings logo. Labelcode: LC 07181

Discography

154 albums
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South Of Heaven

Slayer · 1988

Studio Album

Seasons In The Abyss

Slayer · 1990

Studio Album

Shake Your Money Maker

The Black Crowes · 1990

Studio Album

The Southern Harmony And Musical Companion

The Black Crowes · 1992

Studio Album

Psychocandy

The Jesus And Mary Chain · 1985

Studio Album

Danzig

Danzig · 1988

Studio Album

Darklands

The Jesus And Mary Chain · 1987

Studio Album

Automatic

The Jesus And Mary Chain · 1989

Studio Album

Danzig II - Lucifuge

Danzig · 1990

Studio Album

Honey's Dead

The Jesus And Mary Chain · 1992

Studio Album

Danzig III: How The Gods Kill

Danzig · 1992

Studio Album

Trouble

Trouble · 1990

Studio Album

Manic Frustration

Trouble · 1992

Studio Album

Hollywood Town Hall

The Jayhawks · 1992

Studio Album

Masters Of Reality

Masters Of Reality · 1988

Studio Album

Swass

Sir Mix*A*Lot · 1988

Studio Album

Mack Daddy

Sir Mix-A-Lot · 1992

Studio Album

Sunrise On The Sufferbus

Masters Of Reality · 1992

Studio Album

Shot Forth Self Living

Medicine · 1992

Studio Album

Seminar

Sir Mix-A-Lot · 1989

Studio Album

Cassette Generic Flipper

Flipper · 1982

Studio Album

American Grafishy

Flipper · 1993

Studio Album

Nobody Said It Was Easy

The Four Horsemen · 1991

Studio Album

Live Fast, Die Fast

Wolfsbane · 1989

Studio Album

...Well?

Swell · 1992

Studio Album

Love Songs For The Hearing Impaired

Dan Baird · 1992

Studio Album

King King

The Red Devils · 1992

Studio Album

Dynamite Monster Boogie Concert

Raging Slab · 1993

Studio Album

Down Fall The Good Guys

Wolfsbane · 1991

Studio Album

Supreme Love Gods

Supreme Love Gods · 1992

Studio Album

Gimmick

Barkmarket · 1993

Studio Album

It

DO · 1993

Studio Album

Vegas Throat

Barkmarket · 1991

Studio Album

Drop Top

E-Dawg Featuring Filthy Rich · 1993

Studio Album