Run-D.M.C. was an influential hip hop group from Hollis, in the Queens borough of New York City. Founded by Joseph "DJ Run" Simmons, Darryl "D.M.C." McDaniels, and Jason "Jam-Master Jay" Mizell, the group is arguably the most important and influential act in the history of hip hop. They were the biggest act in hip-hop throughout the 1980s and are credited with breaking hip hop into mainstream music.[1][2] In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked them number 48 in their list of the greatest musical artists of all time.[2] In 2007, the trio was named Greatest Hip Hop Group of All Time by MTV.com [3] They were also named Greatest Hip Hop Artist of All Time by VH1.[4] They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on April 4, 2009, the second hip-hop group to be inducted.[5]
Contents[hide]
1 Career
1.1 Early
1.2 Debut Album and the End of the "Old School"
1.3 "King of Rock," "Raising Hell" and Mainstream Success
1.4 "Tougher Than Leather," Changing Times
1.5 Later years, Break-up
1.6 Post-Breakup
1.7 Eminem inducts Run-D.M.C into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
1.8 Legacy
2 Discography
2.1 Albums
2.2 Singles
2.3 Greatest hits albums
2.4 Other singles and compilation albums
3 References
4 See also
5 External links
//
[edit] Career
[edit] Early
The three members of Run-D.M.C. grew up in the neighborhood of Hollis in the Queens borough of New York City, USA.[2] As a teen, Joseph Simmons was recruited by his older brother, an up and coming hip-hop promoter named Russell Simmons, to be the onstage DJ for rapper Kurtis Blow--who was managed by Russell. Performing as "DJ Run, Son of Kurtis Blow," the younger Simmons soon began trading rhymes with Kurtis Blow and beat-boxing for the audience. [6] He would often come back to Hollis and play his taped performances for his friend Darryl McDaniels. Previously, McDaniels had been more focused on athletics than music, but soon began to DJ after purchasing a set of turntables. Simmons convinced McDaniels to start rapping, and though McDaniels wouldn't perform in public, he soon began writing rhymes and calling himself "Easy D." Simmons and McDaniels (who, over time, had overcome his early stage fright) started hanging around Two-Fifths Park in Hollis in late 1980, hoping to rap for the local DJs that performed and competed there. The most popular local DJ at the park was a youngster named Jason "Jazzy Jase" Mizell. Mizell was known for his flashy wardrobe and b-boy attitude; but had had troubles with the law as a teen. He'd decided to pursue music full-time and began entertaining in the park soon after. Eventually, Simmons and McDaniels rapped in front of Mizell at the park and the three were immediate friends. Following Russell's success managing Kurtis Blow, he helped Run record his first single, a song called "Street Kid." The song went unnoticed, but despite the single's failure, Run's enthusiasm for music was growing. He wanted to record again--this time with his co-hort Easy D; but Russell refused, citing a dislike for D's rhyming style. [7] After they completed high school and started college in 1982, Simmons and McDaniels finally convinced Russell to let them record as a duo, and they recruited Mizell (who now called himself 'Jam-Master Jay') to be their official DJ. A year later, in 1983, Russell agreed to help them record a new single and land a record deal; but only after he changed D's name to 'DMC' and christened the group 'Run-D.M.C.'--a name, incidentally, that the group hated. DMC said later, “We wanted to be the Dynamic Two, the Treacherous Two — when we heard that [crap], we was like, ‘We’re gonna be ruined!’” [8]
[edit] Debut Album and the End of the "Old School"
After signing with Profile Records, Run-D.M.C. released their first single "It's Like That/Sucker MCs", in late 1983. The sound was a revolution in hip hop; aggressive, cocky rhymes over spare, minimal, hard-hitting beats. Previously, rap music had been chiefly funk and disco-influenced, but Run-D.M.C.'s sound, like their name, was unlike anything that had been heard in rap before. The single was well received, peaking at #15 on the R&B charts.[9]. The trio performed the single on the New York Hot Tracks video show in 1983. Emboldened by their success, Run-D.M.C. recorded their eponymous debut and, released in 1984, Run-D.M.C. was an instant hit and, arguably, rap's first classic album. Hit singles such as "Jam-Master Jay" and "Hard Times" proved that the group weren't one-hit wonders, and the landmark single "Rock Box" was a groundbreaking fusion of raw hip-hop and hard rock that would become a cornerstone of the group's sound and paved the way for the rap rock movement of the late 1990s. Run-D.M.C.'s swift ascension to the forefront of rap with a new sound and style meant that old school hip hop artists had become outdated--in more ways than one. Along with pushing rap into a new direction musically, Run-D.M.C. changed the entire aesthetic of hip hop music and culture. Old school rappers like Afrika Bambaataa and Melle Mel of Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five tended to dress in the flashy attire that was commonly attributed to rock and disco acts of the era: tight leather, chest-baring shirts, gloves and hats with rhinestones and spikes, leather boots, etc. Run-D.M.C. discarded the more glam aspects of early hip hop's look (as later readopted by MC Hammer and Vanilla Ice) and incorporated a more 'street' sense of style. Their look had been influenced by the way Jay dressed. When Russell Simmons saw Jay's flashy-yet-street b-boy style, he insisted the entire group follow suit. [10]Run said later, "There were guys that wore hats like those and sneakers with no shoestrings. It was a very street thing to wear, extremely rough. They couldn’t wear shoelaces in jail and we took it as a fashion statement. The reason they couldn’t have shoelaces in jail was because they might hang themselves. That’s why DMC says ‘My Adidas only bring good news and they are not used as felon shoes.'"[11] That embrace of the look and style of the street would define the next 25 years of hip hop fashion.
[edit] "King of Rock," "Raising Hell" and Mainstream Success
After the success of their first album, Run-D.M.C. looked to branch out on their follow-up. 1985's King of Rock saw the group furthering their rap-rock fusion on songs like "Can You Rock It Like This" and the classic title track; while "Roots, Rap, Reggae" was one of the first rap/dancehall hybrids. The music video for the single "King of Rock" received heavy rotation on MTV and featured Run and DMC wreaking havoc in a museum that resembles the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, (though the Hall of Fame museum wouldn't officially open for another nine years.) The video was interpreted as a reaction to the rock establishment's dismissal of rap music--a dismissal that echoed pop and jazz performers' early distaste for rock a generation before. The song was the group's biggest hit at that point and the album was certified platinum. Building on their ever-growing crossover appeal, Run-D.M.C. performed at the legendary Live Aid benefit shortly after King of Rock was released. They were the only rap act invited to perform.
In late 1985, Run-D.M.C. appeared in the classic hip hop film Krush Groove, a fictionalized re-telling of Russell Simmons' rise as a hip hop mogul and his struggles to get his own label, Def Jam Recordings, off the ground. The film featured a young Blair Underwood as "Russell," along with appearances by old-school legend Kurtis Blow, The Fat Boys, teen pop act New Edition, Prince protege Sheila E., and hip hop's first White rap group the Beastie Boys, who were signed to Simmons' Def Jam label. The movie was a hit and further proof of hip hop's continued mainstream visibility.
Returning to the studio in 1986, the group teamed with producer Rick Rubin (who had just produced teenage phenom LL Cool J's acclaimed debut album Radio) for their third album. Titled Raising Hell, it would go on to be the group's most successful album and one of the best-selling rap albums of all-time, spurred by the lead single "Walk This Way" a cover of the classic hard rock song by Aerosmith. The original intention was to just rap over a sample of the song, but after Rubin and Jay insisted on doing a complete cover version, Aerosmith's Steven Tyler and Joe Perry joined Run-D.M.C. in the studio to add vocals and lead guitar, respectively. The song became one of the biggest hits of the 80s, cemented Run-D.M.C.'s crossover status and resurrected Aerosmith's career. The music video for the song, in which Run-D.M.C. begins performing in a room separated from Aerosmith--only to break down the wall and join them onstage in concert, received heavy rotation on MTV. Raising Hell boasted four tracks that reached the top five on the Billboard Hot 100, with the single "My Adidas" leading to the group signing a $1.6 million endorsement deal with the sneaker brand and Adidas forming a long-term relationship with Run-D.M.C. and hip hop. [12]
The success of Raising Hell is often credited with kick-starting hip hop's golden age, (the period from roughly 1986 to 1994, when rap music's visibility, variety, and commercial viability exploded onto the national stage and became a global phenomenon) officially ending the 'old school' era, (though it can be argued that Run-D.M.C.'s debut was the 'beginning of the end' of the old school.) Their success directly paved the way for acts like the aforementioned LL Cool J and the Beastie Boys (who released their own multi-platinum debut, the Rubin-produced Licensed to Ill, later in 1986) to have similar commercial success, confirming hip hop as a marketable, thriving musical genre. The group toured in the wake of the album's success, but the 'Raising Hell Tour' was marred by violence, particularly fights between rival street gangs in places like Los Angeles. Though Run-D.M.C.'s lyrics had been confrontational and aggressive, they typically denounced crime and ignorance; but the media began to blame the group for the incidents. Run-D.M.C. would call for a day of peace between the gangs in L.A.
[edit] "Tougher Than Leather," Changing Times
After spending 1987 on tour supporting Raising Hell, Run-D.M.C. released 1988's Tougher Than Leather. The album saw the group discarding much of its rap rock leanings for a grittier, more sample-heavy sound. In the two years since ...Hell, rap music had begun sampling classic funk and soul records and lyrics had become even more confrontational, complex and gritty. Tougher Than Leather reflected the shift, and, despite not selling as well as its predecessor, the album boasted several strong singles, including the anthemic "Run's House" and the funky "Beats to the Rhyme." Though at the time considered a somewhat disappointing follow-up to the blockbuster Raising Hell, and dismissed by DMC as 'rushed,' the album has grown in stature and is now considered by many to be an underrated classic. In the 2000 liner notes for the album's re-release, Chuck D. of Public Enemy would call the album "...a spectacular performance against all odds and expectations."[13] Later in 1988, the group made their second film appearance in Tougher Than Leather, a would-be crime caper that was directed by Rick Rubin and featured special guest performances by the Beastie Boys and Slick Rick. The film bombed at the box office, but strengthened the link between Run-D.M.C. and the Def Jam label. Though the group itself was never signed to the label, they were managed by Russell Simmons, produced by Rick Rubin (who was co-founder of Def Jam, along with Simmons), and often shared the spotlight with acts on the label's roster.
One of those acts was the political rap group Public Enemy, who had been signed to Def Jam since 1986. P.E. didn't achieve their major commercial breakthrough, however, until they released 1988's seminal It Takes A Nation of Millions To Hold Us Back. The success of the album, along with popular and acclaimed releases by burgeoning rap acts Eric B. & Rakim, N.W.A., Boogie Down Productions, and Big Daddy Kane challenged Run-D.M.C.'s reign at the top of hip hop. Public Enemy, in particular, became the most talked-about rap act, with front-man Chuck D. and hype man Flavor Flav becoming superstars.
Amidst the changing times and sliding sales, Run-D.M.C. released Back from Hell in 1990. The album was the worst-reviewed of their career, as the group tried to re-create itself musically with ill-advised forays into New Jack Swing (a then-popular style of production that sonically merged hip hop and contemporary R&B) and sometimes-preachy lyrical content. The two singles released, the anti-drug, anti-crime song "Pause", and gritty street narrative "The Ave," had little success, and the group began to look outdated. Reeling from their first taste of failure, personal problems began to surface for the trio. DMC, who had been a heavy drinker throughout Run-D.M.C.'s career, was beginning to lose control of his alcoholism. Jay was involved in life-threatening car accident and survived two gunshot wounds after an incident in 1990. In 1991, Run was charged with raping a college student in Ohio (the charges were later dropped.)[14]
With so much personal chaos and professional uncertainty, the members turned to faith to try and steady their lives. Both Run and DMC joined the church, with Run becoming especially devoted following his legal troubles and the toll it took on his finances.[15] After a three-year hiatus that seemingly saw rap music move on without them, the rejuvenated Run-D.M.C. returned in 1993 with Down With the King. Building on the gritty sound of Tougher Than Leather, and adding some subtle religious references, the album featured guest appearances and production by several hip hop notables, (including Pete Rock & CL Smooth, Q-Tip of A Tribe Called Quest, Jermaine Dupri and more.) Buoyed by the title track and first single, the album entered the charts at #1 and returned Run-D.M.C. to the airwaves. Jam Master Jay also found success on his own; he had founded his own label JMJ Records and the rap group Onyx, (whom he had discovered and produced), experienced tremendous success in 1993 following the release of their hit single, "Slam."
Later that same year, Run became an ordained minister, and in 1994 the iconic group appeared in The Show, a Def Jam-produced documentary that featured several of hip hop's biggest acts discussing the lifestyle and sacrifices of the industry.
[edit] Later years, Break-up
Over the next few years, the group did very little recording, as Jay produced and mentored up and coming artists, (including a young Queens-born rapper named 50 Cent, who would eventually be signed to the JMJ label); Run got divorced, re-married and began to focus on his spiritual and philanthropic endeavors; and DMC, also married, made an appearance on the Notorious B.I.G.'s 1997 double-album Life After Death, and raised his family. But the group continued to tour around the world, though over a decade of living a rap superstar lifestyle was beginning to take a toll on DMC. He was beginning to tire of Run-D.M.C., and there was increased friction between he and the eager-to-return-to-recording Run, (who had adopted the moniker "Rev. Run" in light of his religious conversion)and while on tour in Europe in 1997, DMC's ongoing battle with substance abuse led to a bout of severe depression that led to prescription drug addiction. His depression continued for years so much so that the rapper contemplated suicide. [16]
In 1997, producer and remixer Jason Nevins remixed "It's Like That" and "It's Tricky". The remix of "It's Like That" hit number 1 in the United Kingdom, Germany, and many other European countries. A video was made for "It's Like That", although no new footage of Run-D.M.C. appeared in the clip. In 1999, Run-D.M.C. recorded the theme song for WWE wrestling stable D-Generation X entitled "The Kings," and also made an appearance in a rare version of the music video "Bodyrock" by Moby. In 2000, their version of "The Kings" was included on the album, WWF Aggression. The group finally returned to the studio, but in an increasingly tense environment, as Run and DMC's differences had begun to show. In the wake of the exploding popularity of rap rock artists like KoRn, Limp Bizkit, and Kid Rock, Run wanted to return to the aggressive, hard rock-tinged sound that made the group famous, while DMC, who had become a fan of thoughtful singer-songwriters like John Lennon, Harry Chapin, and Sarah McLachlan, wanted to go in a more introspective direction. Appearing on VH1's popular documentary series "Behind The Music" in early 2000, DMC confirmed that he was creatively frustrated and played some songs that he was recording on his own. The continued friction led to DMC sitting out most of the group's recording sessions in protest. Rev. Run, in defiance, recorded anyway--inviting several guest stars like the aforementioned Kid Rock, Jermaine Dupri, Stephan Jenkins of Third Eye Blind, Method Man, and fellow Queens MCs Nas and Prodigy of Mobb Deep to contribute to the project. There were numerous delays due to the personal problems, and when it was finally released in 2001, Crown Royal, Run-D.M.C.'s first new album in almost eight years, featured only three appearances by DMC. Despite no major singles, the album initially sold well. Many critics blasted the lack of DMC's involvement and fans questioned whether this was a 'true' Run-D.M.C. album, but the set also received some positive reviews. Entertainment Weekly (4/6/01, p.120) noted that "on this hip-hop roast, new schoolers Nas and Fat Joe pay their respects with sparkling grooves....Run's rhymes are still limber." [17]
After the album was released, Run-D.M.C. embarked on a worldwide tour with their "Walk This Way" compatriots, Aerosmith. The tour was a rousing success, celebrating the connection between the two acts and acknowledging the innumerable amount of rap and rock acts that had been influenced by their seminal collaboration 15 years prior. Even though he had little to do with the album, DMC was relishing the stage. He was suffering from an inoperable vocal disorder that had rendered his once-booming voice a strained mumble, but he had come out of his depression and appeared revitalized on the tour. There was even talk of Run-D.M.C. finally signing with the Def Jam label the following year. Rev. Run, however, had been growing increasingly tired. His family was growing and he was running his brother Russell's Phat Farm clothing imprint, and Run-D.M.C. had become less of a priority. Aerosmith was beginning to discuss extending the successful tour, but while on the bus headed to another performance, Run announced that he was leaving and wasn't interested in coming back. To the others' shock, Run was reported as having said, "Yo, tomorrow, we're gonna tell [Aerosmith] we ain't gonna do the tour. We're gonna go home. Y'all have to figure out what y'all are gonna do. Because I don't want to perform no more."[18]
Despite the protests of DMC, Jam-Master Jay and Steven Tyler, Run was adamant. While their touring career seemed over, it remained to be seen if the legendary crew would ever record again. However on October 30, 2002, Jam-Master Jay was shot and killed at his recording studio in Queens. The entire hip hop community went into shock following the news, but for his former band-mates, it was devastating. DMC initially didn't believe the news, thinking 'They're saying [he was shot] because it's Jay's studio--it's not gonna be Jay and it's gonna be all good.' The sad truth was slowly accepted by DMC and Run, who received the news from EPMD's DJ Scratch. Outside the studio where the murder took place, fans and friends gathered and left Adidas sneakers, albums, and flowers for the legendary DJ. As of January 2009, the case has yet to be solved, echoing the unsolved murders of fellow hip hop legends 2Pac and The Notorious B.I.G.. In the aftermath, Run and DMC announced that the group was officially disbanding, and they retired the Run-D.M.C. moniker.[19]
[edit] Post-Breakup
In 2004, Run-DMC were one of the first acts honored on the first annual VH1 Hip Hop Honors, alongside legends like the Sugarhill Gang and 2Pac. The Beastie Boys paid tribute, but Rev. Run did not attend the show. Run released his first solo album, Distortion in 2005 to strong reviews and moderate sales. DMC followed suit, though his Checks Thugs and Rock N Roll was slightly less successful. Around the time of releasing the album, DMC, who had recently discovered that he was adopted, appeared in VH1's "My Adoption Journey," a documentary chronicling his re-connection with his biological family. He has recently been featured in the new video game, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith making a cameo in the song "Walk this Way" and "King of Rock," and he frequently contributes to VH1 programs such as the I Love The... series and released the song "Rock Show" featuring singer Stephan Jenkins. Rev. Run also turned to television, starring in "Run's House" a reality show that followed his life as a father and husband. The show has become one of the most popular on MTV and made reality stars of his daughters Vanessa and Angela. Rev. Run joined Kid Rock's 2008 "Rock N Roll Revival Tour" performing "It's Like That", "It's Tricky", "You Be Illin'", "Run's House", "Here We Go", "King of Rock" and "Walk This Way" with Kid Rock. They would also do a cover of "For What It Worth" at the end of the show.
In 2007, Jam Master Jay's wife Terry Corely Mizell, DMC and Rev Run launched the J.A.M. Awards in Jay's memory. Promoting Jay's vision for social Justice, Arts and Music ("J.A.M."), artists included Snoop Dogg, LL Cool J, Raekwon, M.O.P., Jim Jones, Papoose, Everlast featuring DJ Muggs, Kid Capri, De La Soul, Mobb Deep, Dead Prez, EPMD, Biz Markie and Marley Marl. In October 2008, 50 Cent announced plans to produce a documentary about his fallen mentor, Jam-Master Jay.[20] It was announced in 2008 that Run-D.M.C. have been nominated for 2009 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. On January 14, it was announced that Run-D.M.C. will in fact be one of the five inductees to the Rock Hall.[21] They would become the second rap act to be awarded the honor (after Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five in 2007).[22]
In June 2007 DMC appeared with Aerosmith performing 'Walk This Way' for their encore at the Hard Rock Calling festival in London, England.C
[edit] Eminem inducts Run-D.M.C into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Run-DMC became only the second hip-hop act to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, it was fitting that the group that blazed the trail between rock and rap in the 1980s was invited into the rarified club by a hip-hop icon of the modern era whose career is built on their bedrock: Eminem. His sartorial style inspired by his heroes, from the black leather jacket, shirt and pants, to the black fedora tilted on his head, Eminem bounded onto the stage with a pimping swagger and crossed his arms in a Run-DMC style as he leaned into the microphone. Eminem said "Two turntables and a microphone, that's all it took to change the world," the reclusive Detroit MC began. "Three kings from Queens made rap music in the b-boy stance a global phenomenon," he said of the group's members, rappers Joseph "Reverend Run" Simmons and Darryl "DMC" McDaniels, and late DJ Jason "Jam Master Jay" Mizell. After Eminem's first time he heard the group's "hard beats and bold rhymes," at age 11, Eminem recalled that "something about the big drums and the strong raps that grabbed hold of my ears and changed my life." Clearly humbled by the honor, Slim Shady's speech had a lyrical groove as he added, "Something fresh, something tough. Something dangerous. Something beautiful and something unique. Two turntables and a microphone," staring out at the crowd and rubbing his hands together as if savoring the treat of setting up his heroes for the glory they so richly deserve. Recalling how their 1985 video for "King of Rock" had them crashing a fictional Rock and Roll Museum and being told they didn't belong in such a museum, Eminem said, "And 25 years later, man, here we are. They didn't take no for an answer, much the same way as they didn't give up when much of the world refused to recognize rap as real music. They were the first rock stars of rap. They were the first movie stars of rap. They were the first rap group played on MTV. ... They were the baddest of the bad, the coolest of the cool. Two turntables and a microphone." Eminem talked about not knowing what he wanted to do in life while growing up in Detroit and then hearing Run-DMC and realizing "that you could write your own rules, which is something that still inspires me, as well as every rap other artist, constantly." And then the crowd finally caught on to the rhythm of Eminem's callback refrain and repeated along with him, "Two turntables and a microphone." "I remember being in ninth grade when Raising Hell came out," he recalled, and wryly added, "Two years later, I still remember being in ninth grade when Tougher Than Leather came out. I had skipped school, if you can believe that, to go buy Tougher Than Leather on cassette the day it came out. As soon as I heard 'Run's House,' man, it was pretty much a rap for me. Marshall Mathers became Eminem. It was the first time Run-DMC had changed my life, but it wouldn't be the last. Two turntables and a microphone." Bringing the group's indelible career into the present, Eminem paid tribute to the late Jay's mentorship of Eminem's signed artist, 50 Cent. "Jay shaped the way 50 wrote, the way he rapped and the way he thought," Em said of Fifty, whose early works were overseen by Mizell. "Again, Run-DMC changed my life. Without them I wouldn't have met one of my closest friends." Eminem closed by saying that the group's impact can be felt everywhere. Echoing one of the group's most famous couplets from "King of Rock," Eminem concluded, "There's three of them, and if you grew up on hip-hop like I did, they are the Beatles."
The group did not perform at the ceremony, in keeping with their pledge not to play live again following Mizell's death. [23]
[edit] Legacy
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Run-D.M.C.'s influence on hip hop music, culture and history is significant to say the least. Allmusic.com's Stephen Thomas Erlewine states succinctly that "...More than any other hip-hop group, Run-D.M.C. are responsible for the sound and style of the music."[24] Musically, they moved hip hop and rap music away from the funk and disco-oriented sound of its beginnings; into an altogether new and unique sonic imprint. Their sound is directly responsible for transforming rap music--from dance-and club-oriented funk grooves like "Rapper's Delight" and "The Breaks" to an aggressive, less-danceable approach. Characterized by sparse, hard-hitting beats--as typified on hits like "It's Like That", and "Peter Piper"--this would form the foundation of hardcore hip hop--particularly hardcore east coast hip hop. As such, Run-D.M.C. is considered the originators of the style; and hardcore hip hop would dominate the next two decades of rap music, from the bombastic, noisy sound of Public Enemy and stripped minimalism of Boogie Down Productions to the gritty thump of early Wu-Tang Clan and Nas. Their influence was not limited to the East Coast, of course, as L.A.'s N.W.A., on their landmark 1988 album Straight Outta Compton, showed heavy influences from Tougher Than Leather-era Run-D.M.C., and Chicano rap act Cypress Hill were heavily influenced by Run-D.M.C.'s fusion of rap and rock. Early on, the group rarely sampled and rarely looped anything over their skeletal beats, and the funky minimalism of producers such as Timbaland and The Neptunes is drawn from Run-D.M.C.'s fundamental sound.
Their groundbreaking rap rock fusion proved to be immensely influential among rock artists, with 80s bands like Faith No More, Anthrax--who's collaboration with Public Enemy on "Bring the Noise" was directly influenced by "Walk This Way"--and the Red Hot Chili Peppers adding elements of rap to alternative rock and heavy metal. Most notably, the rap rock sound became extremely popular in the 90s, with bands like Rage Against the Machine, KoRn, Sublime, and Limp Bizkit gaining worldwide popularity by furthering Run-D.M.C.'s template of aggressive rhymes over hard rock riffs.
Aesthetically, they changed the way rappers presented themselves. Unlike their forbears, Run and DMC rarely smiled--and they didn't dance. They delivered their rhymes in an aggressive, angry--almost confrontational, style and sometimes shared rhymes on a single verse--trading rhymes, line-for-line. Onstage, Old school rappers had previously performed in flashy attire and colorful costumes, typically had a live band and, in the case of acts like Whodini, had background dancers. Run-D.M.C. performed with only Run and DMC out front, and Jam-Master Jay on the turntables behind them, in what is now considered the 'classic' hip hop stage setup: two turntables and microphones. They embraced the look and style of the street; wearing jeans, lace-less Adidas sneakers, and their trademark black fedoras; shunning both the over-the-top wardrobe of previous rap stars like the Furious Five and Afrika Bambaataa, and the silk-shirted, jheri curled, ladies' man look of rappers like Kurtis Blow and Spoonie Gee. Followers LL Cool J and the Beastie Boys also dressed down, and seemingly overnight, rappers were wearing jeans and sneakers instead of rhinestones and leather outfits. From Adidas track suits and chunky rope chains to baggy jeans and Timberlands, hip hop's look remained married to the styles of the street.
According to the Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock & Roll, "Run-D.M.C. took hardcore hip-hop from an underground street sensation to a pop-culture phenomenon. Although earlier artists, such as Grandmaster Flash and the Sugar Hill Gang, made rap's initial strides on the airwaves, it was Run-D.M.C. that introduced hats, gold chains, and untied sneakers to youth culture's most stubborn demographic group: white, male, suburban rock fans. In the process, the trio helped change the course of popular music, paving the way for rap's second generation."[25]
Prior to Run-D.M.C., rap had been a singles-driven genre; as most rap songs were intended for use in clubs. Run-D.M.C. was the first rap act to conceive of cohesive, focused hip hop albums that were meant to be appreciated as a whole. As such, their approach, (with the release of their first four albums, Run-D.M.C., King of Rock, Raising Hell, and Tougher Than Leather), helped push hip hop into more musically and artistically ambitious territory and launched a golden age of hip hop albums; typified by landmark releases such as LL Cool J's Radio, the Beastie Boys' Licensed to Ill, Public Enemy's It Takes A Nation of Millions To Hold Us Back, Eric B. & Rakim's Paid In Full, Boogie Down Productions' Criminal Minded, N.W.A.'s Straight Outta Compton, Big Daddy Kane's Long Live the Kane, Ultramagnetic MCs' Critical Beatdown, Slick Rick's The Great Adventures of Slick Rick and more, Run now has a show on MTV called RUNS HOUSE which has a spin off of his daughters called DADDYS GIRLS which are very popular.
Historically, the group achieved a number of notable firsts in hip hop music and are credited with being the act most responsible for pushing hip hop into mainstream popular music, initiating it's musical and artistic evolution and enabling it's growth as a global phenomenon. Run-D.M.C. is the first rap act to have reached a number of major accomplishments:
A #1 R&B charting rap album
The first major rap act to appear on American Bandstand (the Sugar Hill Gang appeared on the program in 1981)
The first rap act to chart in the Top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100 more than once
The first rap artist with a top 10 pop charting rap album
The first rap artist with RIAA-certified gold, platinum, and multi-platinum albums
The first rap act to appear on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine
The first rap act to receive a Grammy Award nomination
The first rap act to make a video appearance on MTV
Signed to an athletic product endorsement deal (Adidas)
[edit] Discography
[edit] Albums
Year
Album
Chart Positions
US
US Hip-Hop
1984
Run-D.M.C.
53
14
1985
King of Rock
52
12
1986
Raising Hell
3
1
1988
Tougher Than Leather
9
2
1990
Back from Hell
81
16
1993
Down with the King
7
1
2001
Crown Royal
37
22
[edit] Singles
Year
Title
U.S. Hot 100
U.S. R&B
1983
"It's like That"
-
15
1984
"30 Days"
-
16
"Hard Times"
-
11
"Hollis Crew (Krush Groove 2)"
-
65
1985
"Can You Rock It Like This"
-
19
"Jam-Master Jammin'"
-
53
"King of Rock"
-
14
"You Talk Too Much"
-
19
1986
"My Adidas"
-
5
"Walk This Way"
4
8
"You Be Illin'"
29
12
1987
"It's Tricky"
57
21
1988
"I'm Not Going Out Like That"
-
40
"Mary, Mary"
75
29
"Run's House"
-
10
1989
"Pause"
-
51
1990
"What's It All About"
-
24
1991
"Faces"
-
57
1993
"Down with the King"
21
9
"Ooh, Whatcha Gonna Do"
-
78
"Can I Get It, Yo"
-
-
2001
"Rock Show"
-
-
[edit] Greatest hits albums
Together Forever: Greatest Hits 1983–1991 (1991) (Profile Records)
High Profile: The Original Rhymes (2002) (Profile Records)
Greatest Hits (2002) (Profile Records)
The Best of Run-D.M.C. (2003) (Profile Records)
Ultimate Run-D.M.C. (2003) (Profile Records)
Artist Collection: Run-D.M.C. (2004) (Arista Records)
Live At Montreux 2001 (2007) (Eagle Records)
[edit] Other singles and compilation albums
Christmas In Hollis appeared on A Very Special Christmas (1987) (A&M Records)
Their cover of Ray Parker Jr.'s "Ghostbusters" appeared on the soundtrack to the 1989 feature film, "Ghostbusters II"
Contents[hide]
1 Career
1.1 Early
1.2 Debut Album and the End of the "Old School"
1.3 "King of Rock," "Raising Hell" and Mainstream Success
1.4 "Tougher Than Leather," Changing Times
1.5 Later years, Break-up
1.6 Post-Breakup
1.7 Eminem inducts Run-D.M.C into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
1.8 Legacy
2 Discography
2.1 Albums
2.2 Singles
2.3 Greatest hits albums
2.4 Other singles and compilation albums
3 References
4 See also
5 External links
//
[edit] Career
[edit] Early
The three members of Run-D.M.C. grew up in the neighborhood of Hollis in the Queens borough of New York City, USA.[2] As a teen, Joseph Simmons was recruited by his older brother, an up and coming hip-hop promoter named Russell Simmons, to be the onstage DJ for rapper Kurtis Blow--who was managed by Russell. Performing as "DJ Run, Son of Kurtis Blow," the younger Simmons soon began trading rhymes with Kurtis Blow and beat-boxing for the audience. [6] He would often come back to Hollis and play his taped performances for his friend Darryl McDaniels. Previously, McDaniels had been more focused on athletics than music, but soon began to DJ after purchasing a set of turntables. Simmons convinced McDaniels to start rapping, and though McDaniels wouldn't perform in public, he soon began writing rhymes and calling himself "Easy D." Simmons and McDaniels (who, over time, had overcome his early stage fright) started hanging around Two-Fifths Park in Hollis in late 1980, hoping to rap for the local DJs that performed and competed there. The most popular local DJ at the park was a youngster named Jason "Jazzy Jase" Mizell. Mizell was known for his flashy wardrobe and b-boy attitude; but had had troubles with the law as a teen. He'd decided to pursue music full-time and began entertaining in the park soon after. Eventually, Simmons and McDaniels rapped in front of Mizell at the park and the three were immediate friends. Following Russell's success managing Kurtis Blow, he helped Run record his first single, a song called "Street Kid." The song went unnoticed, but despite the single's failure, Run's enthusiasm for music was growing. He wanted to record again--this time with his co-hort Easy D; but Russell refused, citing a dislike for D's rhyming style. [7] After they completed high school and started college in 1982, Simmons and McDaniels finally convinced Russell to let them record as a duo, and they recruited Mizell (who now called himself 'Jam-Master Jay') to be their official DJ. A year later, in 1983, Russell agreed to help them record a new single and land a record deal; but only after he changed D's name to 'DMC' and christened the group 'Run-D.M.C.'--a name, incidentally, that the group hated. DMC said later, “We wanted to be the Dynamic Two, the Treacherous Two — when we heard that [crap], we was like, ‘We’re gonna be ruined!’” [8]
[edit] Debut Album and the End of the "Old School"
After signing with Profile Records, Run-D.M.C. released their first single "It's Like That/Sucker MCs", in late 1983. The sound was a revolution in hip hop; aggressive, cocky rhymes over spare, minimal, hard-hitting beats. Previously, rap music had been chiefly funk and disco-influenced, but Run-D.M.C.'s sound, like their name, was unlike anything that had been heard in rap before. The single was well received, peaking at #15 on the R&B charts.[9]. The trio performed the single on the New York Hot Tracks video show in 1983. Emboldened by their success, Run-D.M.C. recorded their eponymous debut and, released in 1984, Run-D.M.C. was an instant hit and, arguably, rap's first classic album. Hit singles such as "Jam-Master Jay" and "Hard Times" proved that the group weren't one-hit wonders, and the landmark single "Rock Box" was a groundbreaking fusion of raw hip-hop and hard rock that would become a cornerstone of the group's sound and paved the way for the rap rock movement of the late 1990s. Run-D.M.C.'s swift ascension to the forefront of rap with a new sound and style meant that old school hip hop artists had become outdated--in more ways than one. Along with pushing rap into a new direction musically, Run-D.M.C. changed the entire aesthetic of hip hop music and culture. Old school rappers like Afrika Bambaataa and Melle Mel of Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five tended to dress in the flashy attire that was commonly attributed to rock and disco acts of the era: tight leather, chest-baring shirts, gloves and hats with rhinestones and spikes, leather boots, etc. Run-D.M.C. discarded the more glam aspects of early hip hop's look (as later readopted by MC Hammer and Vanilla Ice) and incorporated a more 'street' sense of style. Their look had been influenced by the way Jay dressed. When Russell Simmons saw Jay's flashy-yet-street b-boy style, he insisted the entire group follow suit. [10]Run said later, "There were guys that wore hats like those and sneakers with no shoestrings. It was a very street thing to wear, extremely rough. They couldn’t wear shoelaces in jail and we took it as a fashion statement. The reason they couldn’t have shoelaces in jail was because they might hang themselves. That’s why DMC says ‘My Adidas only bring good news and they are not used as felon shoes.'"[11] That embrace of the look and style of the street would define the next 25 years of hip hop fashion.
[edit] "King of Rock," "Raising Hell" and Mainstream Success
After the success of their first album, Run-D.M.C. looked to branch out on their follow-up. 1985's King of Rock saw the group furthering their rap-rock fusion on songs like "Can You Rock It Like This" and the classic title track; while "Roots, Rap, Reggae" was one of the first rap/dancehall hybrids. The music video for the single "King of Rock" received heavy rotation on MTV and featured Run and DMC wreaking havoc in a museum that resembles the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, (though the Hall of Fame museum wouldn't officially open for another nine years.) The video was interpreted as a reaction to the rock establishment's dismissal of rap music--a dismissal that echoed pop and jazz performers' early distaste for rock a generation before. The song was the group's biggest hit at that point and the album was certified platinum. Building on their ever-growing crossover appeal, Run-D.M.C. performed at the legendary Live Aid benefit shortly after King of Rock was released. They were the only rap act invited to perform.
In late 1985, Run-D.M.C. appeared in the classic hip hop film Krush Groove, a fictionalized re-telling of Russell Simmons' rise as a hip hop mogul and his struggles to get his own label, Def Jam Recordings, off the ground. The film featured a young Blair Underwood as "Russell," along with appearances by old-school legend Kurtis Blow, The Fat Boys, teen pop act New Edition, Prince protege Sheila E., and hip hop's first White rap group the Beastie Boys, who were signed to Simmons' Def Jam label. The movie was a hit and further proof of hip hop's continued mainstream visibility.
Returning to the studio in 1986, the group teamed with producer Rick Rubin (who had just produced teenage phenom LL Cool J's acclaimed debut album Radio) for their third album. Titled Raising Hell, it would go on to be the group's most successful album and one of the best-selling rap albums of all-time, spurred by the lead single "Walk This Way" a cover of the classic hard rock song by Aerosmith. The original intention was to just rap over a sample of the song, but after Rubin and Jay insisted on doing a complete cover version, Aerosmith's Steven Tyler and Joe Perry joined Run-D.M.C. in the studio to add vocals and lead guitar, respectively. The song became one of the biggest hits of the 80s, cemented Run-D.M.C.'s crossover status and resurrected Aerosmith's career. The music video for the song, in which Run-D.M.C. begins performing in a room separated from Aerosmith--only to break down the wall and join them onstage in concert, received heavy rotation on MTV. Raising Hell boasted four tracks that reached the top five on the Billboard Hot 100, with the single "My Adidas" leading to the group signing a $1.6 million endorsement deal with the sneaker brand and Adidas forming a long-term relationship with Run-D.M.C. and hip hop. [12]
The success of Raising Hell is often credited with kick-starting hip hop's golden age, (the period from roughly 1986 to 1994, when rap music's visibility, variety, and commercial viability exploded onto the national stage and became a global phenomenon) officially ending the 'old school' era, (though it can be argued that Run-D.M.C.'s debut was the 'beginning of the end' of the old school.) Their success directly paved the way for acts like the aforementioned LL Cool J and the Beastie Boys (who released their own multi-platinum debut, the Rubin-produced Licensed to Ill, later in 1986) to have similar commercial success, confirming hip hop as a marketable, thriving musical genre. The group toured in the wake of the album's success, but the 'Raising Hell Tour' was marred by violence, particularly fights between rival street gangs in places like Los Angeles. Though Run-D.M.C.'s lyrics had been confrontational and aggressive, they typically denounced crime and ignorance; but the media began to blame the group for the incidents. Run-D.M.C. would call for a day of peace between the gangs in L.A.
[edit] "Tougher Than Leather," Changing Times
After spending 1987 on tour supporting Raising Hell, Run-D.M.C. released 1988's Tougher Than Leather. The album saw the group discarding much of its rap rock leanings for a grittier, more sample-heavy sound. In the two years since ...Hell, rap music had begun sampling classic funk and soul records and lyrics had become even more confrontational, complex and gritty. Tougher Than Leather reflected the shift, and, despite not selling as well as its predecessor, the album boasted several strong singles, including the anthemic "Run's House" and the funky "Beats to the Rhyme." Though at the time considered a somewhat disappointing follow-up to the blockbuster Raising Hell, and dismissed by DMC as 'rushed,' the album has grown in stature and is now considered by many to be an underrated classic. In the 2000 liner notes for the album's re-release, Chuck D. of Public Enemy would call the album "...a spectacular performance against all odds and expectations."[13] Later in 1988, the group made their second film appearance in Tougher Than Leather, a would-be crime caper that was directed by Rick Rubin and featured special guest performances by the Beastie Boys and Slick Rick. The film bombed at the box office, but strengthened the link between Run-D.M.C. and the Def Jam label. Though the group itself was never signed to the label, they were managed by Russell Simmons, produced by Rick Rubin (who was co-founder of Def Jam, along with Simmons), and often shared the spotlight with acts on the label's roster.
One of those acts was the political rap group Public Enemy, who had been signed to Def Jam since 1986. P.E. didn't achieve their major commercial breakthrough, however, until they released 1988's seminal It Takes A Nation of Millions To Hold Us Back. The success of the album, along with popular and acclaimed releases by burgeoning rap acts Eric B. & Rakim, N.W.A., Boogie Down Productions, and Big Daddy Kane challenged Run-D.M.C.'s reign at the top of hip hop. Public Enemy, in particular, became the most talked-about rap act, with front-man Chuck D. and hype man Flavor Flav becoming superstars.
Amidst the changing times and sliding sales, Run-D.M.C. released Back from Hell in 1990. The album was the worst-reviewed of their career, as the group tried to re-create itself musically with ill-advised forays into New Jack Swing (a then-popular style of production that sonically merged hip hop and contemporary R&B) and sometimes-preachy lyrical content. The two singles released, the anti-drug, anti-crime song "Pause", and gritty street narrative "The Ave," had little success, and the group began to look outdated. Reeling from their first taste of failure, personal problems began to surface for the trio. DMC, who had been a heavy drinker throughout Run-D.M.C.'s career, was beginning to lose control of his alcoholism. Jay was involved in life-threatening car accident and survived two gunshot wounds after an incident in 1990. In 1991, Run was charged with raping a college student in Ohio (the charges were later dropped.)[14]
With so much personal chaos and professional uncertainty, the members turned to faith to try and steady their lives. Both Run and DMC joined the church, with Run becoming especially devoted following his legal troubles and the toll it took on his finances.[15] After a three-year hiatus that seemingly saw rap music move on without them, the rejuvenated Run-D.M.C. returned in 1993 with Down With the King. Building on the gritty sound of Tougher Than Leather, and adding some subtle religious references, the album featured guest appearances and production by several hip hop notables, (including Pete Rock & CL Smooth, Q-Tip of A Tribe Called Quest, Jermaine Dupri and more.) Buoyed by the title track and first single, the album entered the charts at #1 and returned Run-D.M.C. to the airwaves. Jam Master Jay also found success on his own; he had founded his own label JMJ Records and the rap group Onyx, (whom he had discovered and produced), experienced tremendous success in 1993 following the release of their hit single, "Slam."
Later that same year, Run became an ordained minister, and in 1994 the iconic group appeared in The Show, a Def Jam-produced documentary that featured several of hip hop's biggest acts discussing the lifestyle and sacrifices of the industry.
[edit] Later years, Break-up
Over the next few years, the group did very little recording, as Jay produced and mentored up and coming artists, (including a young Queens-born rapper named 50 Cent, who would eventually be signed to the JMJ label); Run got divorced, re-married and began to focus on his spiritual and philanthropic endeavors; and DMC, also married, made an appearance on the Notorious B.I.G.'s 1997 double-album Life After Death, and raised his family. But the group continued to tour around the world, though over a decade of living a rap superstar lifestyle was beginning to take a toll on DMC. He was beginning to tire of Run-D.M.C., and there was increased friction between he and the eager-to-return-to-recording Run, (who had adopted the moniker "Rev. Run" in light of his religious conversion)and while on tour in Europe in 1997, DMC's ongoing battle with substance abuse led to a bout of severe depression that led to prescription drug addiction. His depression continued for years so much so that the rapper contemplated suicide. [16]
In 1997, producer and remixer Jason Nevins remixed "It's Like That" and "It's Tricky". The remix of "It's Like That" hit number 1 in the United Kingdom, Germany, and many other European countries. A video was made for "It's Like That", although no new footage of Run-D.M.C. appeared in the clip. In 1999, Run-D.M.C. recorded the theme song for WWE wrestling stable D-Generation X entitled "The Kings," and also made an appearance in a rare version of the music video "Bodyrock" by Moby. In 2000, their version of "The Kings" was included on the album, WWF Aggression. The group finally returned to the studio, but in an increasingly tense environment, as Run and DMC's differences had begun to show. In the wake of the exploding popularity of rap rock artists like KoRn, Limp Bizkit, and Kid Rock, Run wanted to return to the aggressive, hard rock-tinged sound that made the group famous, while DMC, who had become a fan of thoughtful singer-songwriters like John Lennon, Harry Chapin, and Sarah McLachlan, wanted to go in a more introspective direction. Appearing on VH1's popular documentary series "Behind The Music" in early 2000, DMC confirmed that he was creatively frustrated and played some songs that he was recording on his own. The continued friction led to DMC sitting out most of the group's recording sessions in protest. Rev. Run, in defiance, recorded anyway--inviting several guest stars like the aforementioned Kid Rock, Jermaine Dupri, Stephan Jenkins of Third Eye Blind, Method Man, and fellow Queens MCs Nas and Prodigy of Mobb Deep to contribute to the project. There were numerous delays due to the personal problems, and when it was finally released in 2001, Crown Royal, Run-D.M.C.'s first new album in almost eight years, featured only three appearances by DMC. Despite no major singles, the album initially sold well. Many critics blasted the lack of DMC's involvement and fans questioned whether this was a 'true' Run-D.M.C. album, but the set also received some positive reviews. Entertainment Weekly (4/6/01, p.120) noted that "on this hip-hop roast, new schoolers Nas and Fat Joe pay their respects with sparkling grooves....Run's rhymes are still limber." [17]
After the album was released, Run-D.M.C. embarked on a worldwide tour with their "Walk This Way" compatriots, Aerosmith. The tour was a rousing success, celebrating the connection between the two acts and acknowledging the innumerable amount of rap and rock acts that had been influenced by their seminal collaboration 15 years prior. Even though he had little to do with the album, DMC was relishing the stage. He was suffering from an inoperable vocal disorder that had rendered his once-booming voice a strained mumble, but he had come out of his depression and appeared revitalized on the tour. There was even talk of Run-D.M.C. finally signing with the Def Jam label the following year. Rev. Run, however, had been growing increasingly tired. His family was growing and he was running his brother Russell's Phat Farm clothing imprint, and Run-D.M.C. had become less of a priority. Aerosmith was beginning to discuss extending the successful tour, but while on the bus headed to another performance, Run announced that he was leaving and wasn't interested in coming back. To the others' shock, Run was reported as having said, "Yo, tomorrow, we're gonna tell [Aerosmith] we ain't gonna do the tour. We're gonna go home. Y'all have to figure out what y'all are gonna do. Because I don't want to perform no more."[18]
Despite the protests of DMC, Jam-Master Jay and Steven Tyler, Run was adamant. While their touring career seemed over, it remained to be seen if the legendary crew would ever record again. However on October 30, 2002, Jam-Master Jay was shot and killed at his recording studio in Queens. The entire hip hop community went into shock following the news, but for his former band-mates, it was devastating. DMC initially didn't believe the news, thinking 'They're saying [he was shot] because it's Jay's studio--it's not gonna be Jay and it's gonna be all good.' The sad truth was slowly accepted by DMC and Run, who received the news from EPMD's DJ Scratch. Outside the studio where the murder took place, fans and friends gathered and left Adidas sneakers, albums, and flowers for the legendary DJ. As of January 2009, the case has yet to be solved, echoing the unsolved murders of fellow hip hop legends 2Pac and The Notorious B.I.G.. In the aftermath, Run and DMC announced that the group was officially disbanding, and they retired the Run-D.M.C. moniker.[19]
[edit] Post-Breakup
In 2004, Run-DMC were one of the first acts honored on the first annual VH1 Hip Hop Honors, alongside legends like the Sugarhill Gang and 2Pac. The Beastie Boys paid tribute, but Rev. Run did not attend the show. Run released his first solo album, Distortion in 2005 to strong reviews and moderate sales. DMC followed suit, though his Checks Thugs and Rock N Roll was slightly less successful. Around the time of releasing the album, DMC, who had recently discovered that he was adopted, appeared in VH1's "My Adoption Journey," a documentary chronicling his re-connection with his biological family. He has recently been featured in the new video game, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith making a cameo in the song "Walk this Way" and "King of Rock," and he frequently contributes to VH1 programs such as the I Love The... series and released the song "Rock Show" featuring singer Stephan Jenkins. Rev. Run also turned to television, starring in "Run's House" a reality show that followed his life as a father and husband. The show has become one of the most popular on MTV and made reality stars of his daughters Vanessa and Angela. Rev. Run joined Kid Rock's 2008 "Rock N Roll Revival Tour" performing "It's Like That", "It's Tricky", "You Be Illin'", "Run's House", "Here We Go", "King of Rock" and "Walk This Way" with Kid Rock. They would also do a cover of "For What It Worth" at the end of the show.
In 2007, Jam Master Jay's wife Terry Corely Mizell, DMC and Rev Run launched the J.A.M. Awards in Jay's memory. Promoting Jay's vision for social Justice, Arts and Music ("J.A.M."), artists included Snoop Dogg, LL Cool J, Raekwon, M.O.P., Jim Jones, Papoose, Everlast featuring DJ Muggs, Kid Capri, De La Soul, Mobb Deep, Dead Prez, EPMD, Biz Markie and Marley Marl. In October 2008, 50 Cent announced plans to produce a documentary about his fallen mentor, Jam-Master Jay.[20] It was announced in 2008 that Run-D.M.C. have been nominated for 2009 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. On January 14, it was announced that Run-D.M.C. will in fact be one of the five inductees to the Rock Hall.[21] They would become the second rap act to be awarded the honor (after Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five in 2007).[22]
In June 2007 DMC appeared with Aerosmith performing 'Walk This Way' for their encore at the Hard Rock Calling festival in London, England.C
[edit] Eminem inducts Run-D.M.C into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Run-DMC became only the second hip-hop act to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, it was fitting that the group that blazed the trail between rock and rap in the 1980s was invited into the rarified club by a hip-hop icon of the modern era whose career is built on their bedrock: Eminem. His sartorial style inspired by his heroes, from the black leather jacket, shirt and pants, to the black fedora tilted on his head, Eminem bounded onto the stage with a pimping swagger and crossed his arms in a Run-DMC style as he leaned into the microphone. Eminem said "Two turntables and a microphone, that's all it took to change the world," the reclusive Detroit MC began. "Three kings from Queens made rap music in the b-boy stance a global phenomenon," he said of the group's members, rappers Joseph "Reverend Run" Simmons and Darryl "DMC" McDaniels, and late DJ Jason "Jam Master Jay" Mizell. After Eminem's first time he heard the group's "hard beats and bold rhymes," at age 11, Eminem recalled that "something about the big drums and the strong raps that grabbed hold of my ears and changed my life." Clearly humbled by the honor, Slim Shady's speech had a lyrical groove as he added, "Something fresh, something tough. Something dangerous. Something beautiful and something unique. Two turntables and a microphone," staring out at the crowd and rubbing his hands together as if savoring the treat of setting up his heroes for the glory they so richly deserve. Recalling how their 1985 video for "King of Rock" had them crashing a fictional Rock and Roll Museum and being told they didn't belong in such a museum, Eminem said, "And 25 years later, man, here we are. They didn't take no for an answer, much the same way as they didn't give up when much of the world refused to recognize rap as real music. They were the first rock stars of rap. They were the first movie stars of rap. They were the first rap group played on MTV. ... They were the baddest of the bad, the coolest of the cool. Two turntables and a microphone." Eminem talked about not knowing what he wanted to do in life while growing up in Detroit and then hearing Run-DMC and realizing "that you could write your own rules, which is something that still inspires me, as well as every rap other artist, constantly." And then the crowd finally caught on to the rhythm of Eminem's callback refrain and repeated along with him, "Two turntables and a microphone." "I remember being in ninth grade when Raising Hell came out," he recalled, and wryly added, "Two years later, I still remember being in ninth grade when Tougher Than Leather came out. I had skipped school, if you can believe that, to go buy Tougher Than Leather on cassette the day it came out. As soon as I heard 'Run's House,' man, it was pretty much a rap for me. Marshall Mathers became Eminem. It was the first time Run-DMC had changed my life, but it wouldn't be the last. Two turntables and a microphone." Bringing the group's indelible career into the present, Eminem paid tribute to the late Jay's mentorship of Eminem's signed artist, 50 Cent. "Jay shaped the way 50 wrote, the way he rapped and the way he thought," Em said of Fifty, whose early works were overseen by Mizell. "Again, Run-DMC changed my life. Without them I wouldn't have met one of my closest friends." Eminem closed by saying that the group's impact can be felt everywhere. Echoing one of the group's most famous couplets from "King of Rock," Eminem concluded, "There's three of them, and if you grew up on hip-hop like I did, they are the Beatles."
The group did not perform at the ceremony, in keeping with their pledge not to play live again following Mizell's death. [23]
[edit] Legacy
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Run-D.M.C.'s influence on hip hop music, culture and history is significant to say the least. Allmusic.com's Stephen Thomas Erlewine states succinctly that "...More than any other hip-hop group, Run-D.M.C. are responsible for the sound and style of the music."[24] Musically, they moved hip hop and rap music away from the funk and disco-oriented sound of its beginnings; into an altogether new and unique sonic imprint. Their sound is directly responsible for transforming rap music--from dance-and club-oriented funk grooves like "Rapper's Delight" and "The Breaks" to an aggressive, less-danceable approach. Characterized by sparse, hard-hitting beats--as typified on hits like "It's Like That", and "Peter Piper"--this would form the foundation of hardcore hip hop--particularly hardcore east coast hip hop. As such, Run-D.M.C. is considered the originators of the style; and hardcore hip hop would dominate the next two decades of rap music, from the bombastic, noisy sound of Public Enemy and stripped minimalism of Boogie Down Productions to the gritty thump of early Wu-Tang Clan and Nas. Their influence was not limited to the East Coast, of course, as L.A.'s N.W.A., on their landmark 1988 album Straight Outta Compton, showed heavy influences from Tougher Than Leather-era Run-D.M.C., and Chicano rap act Cypress Hill were heavily influenced by Run-D.M.C.'s fusion of rap and rock. Early on, the group rarely sampled and rarely looped anything over their skeletal beats, and the funky minimalism of producers such as Timbaland and The Neptunes is drawn from Run-D.M.C.'s fundamental sound.
Their groundbreaking rap rock fusion proved to be immensely influential among rock artists, with 80s bands like Faith No More, Anthrax--who's collaboration with Public Enemy on "Bring the Noise" was directly influenced by "Walk This Way"--and the Red Hot Chili Peppers adding elements of rap to alternative rock and heavy metal. Most notably, the rap rock sound became extremely popular in the 90s, with bands like Rage Against the Machine, KoRn, Sublime, and Limp Bizkit gaining worldwide popularity by furthering Run-D.M.C.'s template of aggressive rhymes over hard rock riffs.
Aesthetically, they changed the way rappers presented themselves. Unlike their forbears, Run and DMC rarely smiled--and they didn't dance. They delivered their rhymes in an aggressive, angry--almost confrontational, style and sometimes shared rhymes on a single verse--trading rhymes, line-for-line. Onstage, Old school rappers had previously performed in flashy attire and colorful costumes, typically had a live band and, in the case of acts like Whodini, had background dancers. Run-D.M.C. performed with only Run and DMC out front, and Jam-Master Jay on the turntables behind them, in what is now considered the 'classic' hip hop stage setup: two turntables and microphones. They embraced the look and style of the street; wearing jeans, lace-less Adidas sneakers, and their trademark black fedoras; shunning both the over-the-top wardrobe of previous rap stars like the Furious Five and Afrika Bambaataa, and the silk-shirted, jheri curled, ladies' man look of rappers like Kurtis Blow and Spoonie Gee. Followers LL Cool J and the Beastie Boys also dressed down, and seemingly overnight, rappers were wearing jeans and sneakers instead of rhinestones and leather outfits. From Adidas track suits and chunky rope chains to baggy jeans and Timberlands, hip hop's look remained married to the styles of the street.
According to the Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock & Roll, "Run-D.M.C. took hardcore hip-hop from an underground street sensation to a pop-culture phenomenon. Although earlier artists, such as Grandmaster Flash and the Sugar Hill Gang, made rap's initial strides on the airwaves, it was Run-D.M.C. that introduced hats, gold chains, and untied sneakers to youth culture's most stubborn demographic group: white, male, suburban rock fans. In the process, the trio helped change the course of popular music, paving the way for rap's second generation."[25]
Prior to Run-D.M.C., rap had been a singles-driven genre; as most rap songs were intended for use in clubs. Run-D.M.C. was the first rap act to conceive of cohesive, focused hip hop albums that were meant to be appreciated as a whole. As such, their approach, (with the release of their first four albums, Run-D.M.C., King of Rock, Raising Hell, and Tougher Than Leather), helped push hip hop into more musically and artistically ambitious territory and launched a golden age of hip hop albums; typified by landmark releases such as LL Cool J's Radio, the Beastie Boys' Licensed to Ill, Public Enemy's It Takes A Nation of Millions To Hold Us Back, Eric B. & Rakim's Paid In Full, Boogie Down Productions' Criminal Minded, N.W.A.'s Straight Outta Compton, Big Daddy Kane's Long Live the Kane, Ultramagnetic MCs' Critical Beatdown, Slick Rick's The Great Adventures of Slick Rick and more, Run now has a show on MTV called RUNS HOUSE which has a spin off of his daughters called DADDYS GIRLS which are very popular.
Historically, the group achieved a number of notable firsts in hip hop music and are credited with being the act most responsible for pushing hip hop into mainstream popular music, initiating it's musical and artistic evolution and enabling it's growth as a global phenomenon. Run-D.M.C. is the first rap act to have reached a number of major accomplishments:
A #1 R&B charting rap album
The first major rap act to appear on American Bandstand (the Sugar Hill Gang appeared on the program in 1981)
The first rap act to chart in the Top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100 more than once
The first rap artist with a top 10 pop charting rap album
The first rap artist with RIAA-certified gold, platinum, and multi-platinum albums
The first rap act to appear on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine
The first rap act to receive a Grammy Award nomination
The first rap act to make a video appearance on MTV
Signed to an athletic product endorsement deal (Adidas)
[edit] Discography
[edit] Albums
Year
Album
Chart Positions
US
US Hip-Hop
1984
Run-D.M.C.
53
14
1985
King of Rock
52
12
1986
Raising Hell
3
1
1988
Tougher Than Leather
9
2
1990
Back from Hell
81
16
1993
Down with the King
7
1
2001
Crown Royal
37
22
[edit] Singles
Year
Title
U.S. Hot 100
U.S. R&B
1983
"It's like That"
-
15
1984
"30 Days"
-
16
"Hard Times"
-
11
"Hollis Crew (Krush Groove 2)"
-
65
1985
"Can You Rock It Like This"
-
19
"Jam-Master Jammin'"
-
53
"King of Rock"
-
14
"You Talk Too Much"
-
19
1986
"My Adidas"
-
5
"Walk This Way"
4
8
"You Be Illin'"
29
12
1987
"It's Tricky"
57
21
1988
"I'm Not Going Out Like That"
-
40
"Mary, Mary"
75
29
"Run's House"
-
10
1989
"Pause"
-
51
1990
"What's It All About"
-
24
1991
"Faces"
-
57
1993
"Down with the King"
21
9
"Ooh, Whatcha Gonna Do"
-
78
"Can I Get It, Yo"
-
-
2001
"Rock Show"
-
-
[edit] Greatest hits albums
Together Forever: Greatest Hits 1983–1991 (1991) (Profile Records)
High Profile: The Original Rhymes (2002) (Profile Records)
Greatest Hits (2002) (Profile Records)
The Best of Run-D.M.C. (2003) (Profile Records)
Ultimate Run-D.M.C. (2003) (Profile Records)
Artist Collection: Run-D.M.C. (2004) (Arista Records)
Live At Montreux 2001 (2007) (Eagle Records)
[edit] Other singles and compilation albums
Christmas In Hollis appeared on A Very Special Christmas (1987) (A&M Records)
Their cover of Ray Parker Jr.'s "Ghostbusters" appeared on the soundtrack to the 1989 feature film, "Ghostbusters II"
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