In July 2002, The Rub began with a simple goal: the creation of a classics and hip-hop party to be held on the first Saturday of every month at Southpaw. However, it was the approach that has made it click. We do it Brooklyn style: great dance music mixed well, affordable drinks, and real people; no dress code, no bottle service, no VIPs and no celebrity DJs. The combination of great music, a hot and sweaty dance floor, and phenomenal word-of-mouth buzz for the party brought the people there. The unparalleled mix of hip hop, disco, 80s, reggae, funk, house and everything in between keeps them coming back.

The Rub has been widely recognized as the best club night in New York City for several years. The Rub was named both "the best party in Brooklyn to dance sweatily to smart music" by the Village Voice and "the best party in NYC" by The New York Press. Ayres, Eleven & Cosmo have also been also featured on MTV Mixtape Mondays, in The New York Times, Spin, Vice, XLR8R, Urb, The Fader, The Wire, RE:UP, Hip-Hop Connection (UK), Chill (France) and on countless websites. The Rub is in URB's Next 100 for 2006. In addition, the three DJs have been releasing mixtapes at a breakneck pace, traveling to gigs across the country and around the world, and put out two official Rub CDs and 6 records.

Over the last few years, The Rub boys have DJed in Philadelphia, San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego, Honolulu, The Bahamas, Puerto Rico, Toronto, Calgary, Vancouver, Sweden, Norway, Copenhagen, Bangkok, London and Paris alongside Public Enemy, Fat Joe, Snoop Dogg, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Slick Rick, Hollertronix, Mark Ronson, Tony Touch, The Donnas, Death Cab for Cutie and Grandmaster Flash, to name a few. In 2006 they are concentrating on The Rub Remix CDs & vinyl releases, releasing many many more mixtapes, and bringing The Rub to party people around the globe.

DJ Ayres started The Rub at Southpaw in 2002. Originally from Mississippi, he got his start in upstate New York spinning hip-hop on college radio and at parties. Ayres is known for playing a wild range of music, from rap to house, bass, reggae, rock-n-roll and classics. On top of DJing and being a partner in The Rub, Ayres rocks parties all over the US and releases a new best-selling mix CD every month. The New York Times wrote DJ Ayres "has quietly become one of New York's best mixtape DJs."

DJ Eleven got his start as a DJ in the legendary Local 1200 crew in Oakland, California. Working and living in New York City for 7 years, Eleven uses his large, diverse music collection and extensive experience to keep crowds moving in the hottest nightspots on both coasts and around the world. After rocking it at the very first Rub, Eleven quickly went from being a monthly guest to a primary resident and partner. DJ Eleven's mix CDs (Soul Volumes 1-3, Spitkicker Collabos, Best of Kweli, Best of MOP, and I’m Rick James B---h! etc.) tower above the competition.

Cosmo Baker took over the Philadelphia DJ game when he still was a teenager. His Remedy 215 party was the hottest hip-hop weekly in Philadelphia for 6+ years, and that's not to mention his residencies with King Britt, ?uest Love and Rich Medina. Cosmo was a favorite guest DJ at The Rub since the beginning, so it was only right that when he relocated to Brooklyn in '03 he was put down as third of the trio. Cosmo spins at The Rub every month and at Philadelphia and NYC hotspots every week.