In Billboard magazine in November of 1984, a little story three-paragraphs long announced the creation of a new record label called DEF JAM. "The purpose of this company," said a young artist manager named Russell Simmons, "is to educate people to the real value of real street music by putting out records nobody in the business would distribute but us." Twenty-five years later, “the real value of real street music" can be measured not just in billions of dollars, but in the changed complexion of all of the following expressions of creative endeavor: music, movies, television, language, dance, fine art, graphic art, fashion, advertising, automobiles, jewelry, video games, and politics...and not just in America, but globally. If any one entity can be said to have sparked these changes - and to have continued to stand for street music and the culture that birthed it, namely, hip-hop – it’s DEF JAM RECORDINGS. The DEF JAM 25TH ANNIVERSARY SET is a collection of hits from the labels’ chart topping stars and cultural icons, including Jay-Z, Kanye West, Ludacris, Beastie Boys, LL Cool J, Public Enemy, DMX, Young Jeezy, Method Man, Redman and more!