Rick Rubin

Frederick Jay Rubin (born March 10, 1963), known professionally as Rick Rubin, is an American record producer. Rubin co-founded Def Jam Recordings in 1984 with Russell Simmons from his New York University dormitory room, propelling hip-hop acts like LL Cool J and the Beastie Boys to prominence. His production credits extend across genres, including early heavy metal crossovers with Slayer, rock albums for Red Hot Chili Peppers such as Blood Sugar Sex Magik, and the acclaimed American Recordings series reviving Johnny Cash's career in the 1990s. Rubin's minimalist style, focusing on raw performance and essential elements, has yielded commercial hits and critical successes, earning him multiple Grammy Awards for productions with artists including Adele and the Dixie Chicks. Later, he established American Recordings and served as co-president of Columbia Records, influencing a broad spectrum of musicians through his emphasis on creative essence over technical polish.

Frederick Jay Rubin was born on March 10, 1963, in Long Beach, New York, into a Jewish family of modest affluence. His father, Michael (Mickey) Rubin, worked as a shoe wholesaler, providing for the household, while his mother, Linda Rubin, served as a homemaker dedicated to family life. As the only child, Rubin experienced a stable suburban upbringing in the nearby Lido Beach community on Long Island, characterized by typical middle-class routines and limited early public scrutiny.

Rubin was born Frederick Jay Rubin into an Ashkenazi Jewish family in Long Beach, New York, as the only child of housewife Linda Rubin and shoe wholesaler Michael Rubin. He maintains a low public profile regarding early personal relationships, with no widely documented romantic partners prior to his marriage. Rubin is married to Mourielle Hurtado Herrera, a former actress and model who has appeared in productions such as Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. The couple, who have collaborated on aspects of his private life including farming interests, share at least one child, a son born in the late 2010s. They have been photographed together at events like the 2013 and 2014 Vanity Fair Oscar Parties.