The Big Payback Presents: The 25 Biggest Business Moves in Hip-Hop History

From Run-DMC's million dollar Adidas contract to Chris Lighty facing down Suge Knight, read about the deals that shaped rap.

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Complex Original

Image via Complex Original

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#25: Sugar Hill Corners The Hip-Hop Market

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#24: Def Jam's Deal With Columbia Records

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#23: Run-DMC's Adidas Endorsement

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#22: Elektra Records Hires Dante Ross

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#21: Ed Chalpin's Overrides On Public Enemy

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#20: Interscope Jumps to Universal After Time Warner Dumps Them

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#19: Yo! MTV Raps Conquers MTV and America

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#18: Emmis Captures The Hip-Hop Market

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#17: Russell Simmons Expands The Def Jam Brand

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#16: Sprite's “Obey Your Thirst” Campaign

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#15: The Tumultuous Founding of VIBE

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#14: Suge Knight Nabs Dre, Jimmy Iovine Nabs Death Row

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#13: Chris Lighty Faces Down Suge Knight

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#12: The Bad Boy Deal

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#11: The Wu-Tang Clan’s Loud Records Deal

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#10: Wendy Day's Deals: Master P, Eminem, Cash Money

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#9: Dame Dash's Deals: Rocawear, Armadale, PRO-Keds

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#8: Sean John Wins The CFDA Award

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#7: Will Smith's Breakthroughs That Almost Weren't

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#6: The Sale of Priority Records

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#5: The Sale of Def Jam

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#4: The Sale of Phat Farm

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#3: Lyor Cohen Takes Control Of The Warner Music Group

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#2: Jay-Z Deposes Damon Dash, Sells Rocawear, Founds Roc Nation

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#1: 50 Cent Buys Into Vitaminwater

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