Taking The Rap -- For Def Jam's Success

------------------------------- Concert preview

The Hard Knock Life Tour, with Jay-Z, DMX, Method Man, Redman and DJ Clue, 8 p.m. Wednesday at the Tacoma Dome; $35 and $27.50 through Ticketmaster, 206-628-0888. -------------------------------

We're coming off of a year in which hip-hop ruled supreme; in 1998, for the first time, the genre defeated country music in record sales, and was extensively acknowledged at the Grammys, making it one of the dominant pop-music forms out there.

The artists represented on the Hard Knock tour are part of the huge financial steamroller that has Def Jam Recordings, one of the most respected hip-hop record companies going, at the top of its game for the first time in years. The Hard Knock Life Tour is the fruit of the company's most successful financial year yet, having topped $100 million in 1998, according to a recent Vibe magazine article. Thanks to these and other artists, the label took back their seat at the top from the likes of Bad Boy, whose CEO, Sean "Puffy" Combs, still pops up on hit singles but also seems to have ridden his rhyming-over-middle-aged-rock-stars'-hits shtick into the ground.

Witness Def Jam's recent success stories. Hard Knock headliner Jay-Z, a k a Shawn Carter, has a Grammy under his belt for Best Rap Album, three hit singles from his third-solo-release, triple-platinum "Vol. 2 . . . Hard Knock Life" still blazing on the Billboard Top 100 R&B Singles charts and his label, Roc-A-Fella Records, is enjoying more exposure than ever.

Def Jam labelmate DMX is also burning up the charts with his multi-platinum 1998 release "Flesh of My Flesh, Blood of my Blood," the follow-up to "It's Dark and Hell is Hot."

Method Man, the most famous face of The Wu-Tang Clan, has also earned multi-platinum status with his dark, apocalyptic second solo CD "Tical 2000: Judgement Day." So has underground hip-hop hero Redman, whose latest release, "Doc's Da Name 2000," has given him his first platinum release.

The key to Def Jam's profits seems to be in street credibility. Its hip-hop artists don't compromise the raw truth of their message, or their innovative sound, for the sake of making pop crossover sales. Def Jam has, over the years, given us releases from Slick Rick, Public Enemy and the wildly popular Beastie Boys, whose success seems to build with each new album. The current crop, like those who came before, is still careful to keep its connection to the pavement.

A big part of that street cred is acknowledging where you came from. Take Jay-Z's life story. Laid out in numerous magazine articles, his is the tale of a reformed dope slinger who found salvation and financial solvency in hip-hop. Jay-Z's story isn't unique by any means; both 'Pac and Biggie ran with their street-life stories on every album. However, while the late rappers related their tales of street life almost to the point of glorification, Jay-Z's message tends to be more cautionary, foregoing gun-toting bravado for rhymes about his current flashy status.

Jay-Z is the embodiment of what Def Jam wants to be in '99. He is hip-hop's golden calf, an idol whose success and flashiness are to be worshipped and, he hopes, emulated. As the head of his own label, Jay-Z is able to maintain control over his product. His debut "Reasonable Doubt," released in 1996, bumped the underground scene with great success; his third album, "Streets Is Watching: The Soundtrack," accompanied a short film he wrote, directed and produced.

Similarly, Method Man's group, The Wu-Tang Clan, is as much a financial collective as it is a performing outfit. Each member of Wu kicks back a portion of their proceeds to the entire group to fund side projects. Method Man is also something of a minor movie star, having appeared with DMX in "Belly," in addition to a role in the upcoming film "Black and White."

This isn't to say the Hard Knock Life Tour is all harmless flash and fun. Any parent who has heard DMX's raw, doggy-style lyrics might be a little concerned.

On the other hand, his bark-and-bite will be offset by Jay-Z's presence. And with the new hip-hop mogul headlining, the Hard Knock Life Tour might prove to be this spring's golden ticket.