George Drakoulias (born 1965) is a Greek-American music producer and a former A&R executive at the American Recordings label. He is often considered a protégé of Rick Rubin. Drakoulias grew up in Syosset, New York, and attended Syosset High School, where he started his musical career with a band called Lifeline. He went to college at New York University (NYU), where he majored in music and business. There he befriended Rick Rubin, whom he met after he started dating an ex-girlfriend of Rubin's. He became one of the first hires for Rubin's Def Jam label. As an A&R man, he discovered L.L. Cool J and the Beastie Boys. After Rubin left Def Jam to move to Los Angeles and form the Def American label, which was later retitled American Recordings, Drakoulias moved with him and became a producer. D