The Art and Influence of Hip Hop
The Art and Influence of Hip Hop
Jazzy Jay's personalized Def Jam varsity bomber jacket, [ca. 1985]
Lot Closed
March 30, 04:10 PM GMT
Estimate
3,000 - 5,000 USD
Lot Details
Description
Jazzy Jay's Personalized Def Jam Records bomber jacket, ca. 1985.
Black wool varsity-style bomber jacket, size unmarked, but apparently Men's M or L, snap button closure, ribbed collar/cuffs/waistband, "Jazzy Jay" embroidered at right chest, Def Jam record arm logo embroidered at front left, "Def Jam Recordings" embroidered across back; slight fraying to end of sleeves.
JAZZY JAY'S PERSONALIZED DEF JAM BOMBER JACKET
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.
The jacket offered here belongs to Jazzy Jay who, in the '70s, in the Bronx, at the ripe young age of 13, began his career in Hip Hop before Hip Hop was even a thing. First playing at local parties and NYC clubs, then hosting a radio program on Kiss FM, Jay would go on to firmly cement his place in the culture when he met Rick Rubin and subsequently dropped "It's Yours". “It’s Yours”—from a then unknown label and a little know DJ—would enrapture NYC's dance clubs and rap-focused radio shows for the better part of the Spring and Summer of 1984.
Provenance:
From the personal collection of Jazzy Jay
Condition Report:
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