Def Jam Music Group [4 CD Box Set]

The Def Jam box tells a story of a sound, a movement, and a lifestyle. Filled with a veritable who's who of hip-hop (3rd Bass, LL Cool J, Public Enemy, Slick Rick, EPMD, Beastie Boys) and some sizzling R&B cuts, this four-CD set is both a greatest-hits package (of the Def Jam/Columbia era) and a shout out to the label that understood the culture–and, more important, knew how to make others get it, too. Perhaps the greatest praise one can give Def Jam is that the label still matters, years after this set was released (see late-1990s efforts by Method Man and Jay-Z, for example). If all your old 12-inches are worn to the groove, then this is a must; but be you old school or new, this collection should be in any hip-hop fan's collection. –Amy Linden