American hip hop group
Run-DMC
(also formatted
Run-D.M.C.
,
RUN DMC
, or some combination thereof) was an American hip hop group from
Hollis, Queens
New York City
, formed in 1983 by
Joseph Simmons
,
Darryl McDaniels
, and
Jason Mizell
. Run-DMC is regarded as one of the most influential acts in the history of
hip hop culture
and especially one of the most famous hip hop acts of the 1980s. Along with
Beastie Boys
,
LL Cool J
,
DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince
, and
Public Enemy
, the group pioneered
new-school hip hop
music and helped usher in the
golden age of hip hop
. The group was among the first to highlight the importance of the
MC
and
DJ
relationship.
[4]
With the release of
Run-D.M.C.
(1984), Run-DMC became the first hip hop group to achieve a
Gold
record.
Run-D.M.C.
was followed with the certified Platinum record
King of Rock
(1985), making Run-DMC the first hip hop group to go platinum.
Raising Hell
(1986) became the first multi-platinum hip hop record. Run-DMC's cover of "
Walk This Way
", featuring the group
Aerosmith
, charted higher on the
Billboard
Hot 100
than
Aerosmith
's original version, peaking at number four.
[5]
It became one of the best-known songs in both hip hop and rock.
[6]
Run-DMC was the first hip hop act to have their music videos broadcast on
MTV
, appear on
American Bandstand
, be on the cover of
Rolling Stone
,
[7]
perform at
Live Aid
, and be nominated for a
Grammy Award
.
[8]
In 2004,
Rolling Stone
ranked Run-DMC at number 48 in its list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.
[4]
In 2007, they were named The Greatest Hip Hop Group of All Time by MTV
[9]
and Greatest Hip Hop Artist of All Time by
VH1
.
[10]
In 2009, Run-DMC became the second hip hop group (after
Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five
, 2007) to be inducted into the
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
.
[11]
In 2016, the group received a
Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award
.
[12]
In 2018,
Raising Hell
was inducted into the
National Recording Registry
by the
Library of Congress
as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".
[13]
History
[
edit
]
Early career
[
edit
]
The three members of Run-DMC grew up in
Hollis, Queens
.
[4]
As a teenager, Joseph Simmons was recruited into hip hop by his older brother,
Russell
, who was then an up-and-coming hip hop promoter. Simmons appeared onstage as a DJ for solo rapper
Kurtis Blow
, who was managed by Russell. Known as "DJ Run, Son of Kurtis Blow", Simmons soon began performing with Blow.
[14]
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 would not perform in public, he soon began writing rhymes and was known as "Easy D."
Simmons and McDaniels started hanging around Two-Fifths Park in Hollis in the late 1970s, hoping to rap for the local DJs who performed and competed there; the most popular one known to frequent the park was Jason Mizell, then known as "Jazzy Jase". Mizell was known for his flashy wardrobe and
b-boy
attitude, which led to minor legal troubles as a teen. Thereafter, he decided to pursue music fame and began entertaining in the park soon after. Eventually, Simmons and McDaniels rapped in front of Mizell at the park, and the three became 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 hip hop was growing. Simmons soon wanted to record again?-this time with McDaniels, but Russell refused, citing a dislike for D's rhyming style.
[14]
After they graduated from 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 was now known as Jam Master Jay) to be their official DJ. The following year, in 1983, Russell agreed to help them record a new single and land a record deal, but only after he changed McDaniels's stage name to his favorite car company,
DeLorean Motor Company
'DMC',
[
citation needed
]
and marketed the group as "Run-D.M.C.", a name that the group hated at first. DMC said later, "We wanted to be the Dynamic Two, the Treacherous Two ? when we heard
that
shit we was like, 'We're gonna be ruined!' "
[15]
The group's name used Joseph Simmons's DJ name, DJ Run. It was combined with several letters from Darryl McDaniel's name. (DMC can also stand for "Devastating Mic Controller" and in one instance, Darryl rapped in King of Rock “People always ask, "DMC, what does it mean?" D's for never dirty, MC for mostly clean.”)
[16]
After signing with
Profile Records
, Run-DMC released their debut single "
It's Like That
/Sucker MCs" in late 1983.
[17]
The single was well received, peaking at No. 15 on the R&B charts.
[18]
The trio performed the single on the
New York Hot Tracks
video show in 1983. Emboldened by their success, Run-DMC released their eponymous debut album
Run-D.M.C.
in 1984.
[17]
Hit singles such as "Jam-Master Jay" and "Hard Times" proved that the group were more than a
one-hit wonder
, 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
-subgenre movement of the 1990s.
Run-DMC's swift ascension to the forefront of rap with a new sound and style meant that
old-school hip hop
artists were becoming outdated. Along with pushing rap into a new direction musically, Run-DMC 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 glam rock and disco acts of the era: tight leather, chest-baring shirts, gloves and hats with rhinestones and spikes, leather boots, etc. Run-DMC discarded the more
glam
aspects of early hip hop fashion (which were later readopted in 1990 by more "pop" rappers like
MC Hammer
and
Vanilla Ice
) and incorporated a more "street" sense of style such as
Kangol
hats, Cazal glasses, leather jackets, and unlaced
Adidas
shoes.
[8]
The group's look had been heavily influenced by Mizell's own personal style. When Russell Simmons saw Jay's flashy, yet street b-boy style; he insisted the entire group follow suit.
[19]
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 that they might hang themselves. That's why DMC says 'My Adidas only bring good news and they are not used as felon shoes.'
[20]
That embrace of the look and style of the street would define the next 25 years of hip hop fashion.
King of Rock
,
Raising Hell
and mainstream success
[
edit
]
After the success of their first album, Run-DMC looked to branch out on their follow-up. The release of
King of Rock
in 1985 saw the group furthering their rap rock fusion on songs like "Can You Rock It Like This" and
the title track
; while "Roots, Rap, Reggae" was one of the first rap/dancehall hybrids. The music video for the single "Rock Box" was the first ever hip hop music video to be broadcast on
MTV
and received heavy rotation from the channel. The song was the group's most popular hit at that point and the album was
certified platinum
. Run-DMC performed at the legendary
Live Aid
benefit shortly after
Rock Box
was released.
In late-1985, Run-DMC were featured in the hip hop film
Krush Groove
, a fictionalized retelling of
Russell Simmons
' rise as a hip hop entrepreneur and his struggles to get his own label,
Def Jam Recordings
, off the ground.
[17]
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
,
LL Cool J
,
Prince
protegee
Sheila E.
, and hip hop's first successful
White
rap group, the
Beastie Boys
, who were signed to Simmons' Def Jam label. The film was a hit in cinemas and was further proof of hip hop's continued mainstream visibility.
Returning to the studio in 1986, the group teamed with producer
Rick Rubin
for their third album. Rubin had just produced LL Cool J's debut album
Radio
. They later released their third album, titled
Raising Hell
, which became the group's most successful album and one of the best-selling rap albums of all time.
[17]
The album was certified double-platinum and peaked at number three on the charts.
They were almost done with the album, but Rubin thought that it needed an element that would appeal to rock fans as well. This spurred the lead single "
Walk This Way
", a collaboration with the group
Aerosmith
, who years earlier had done their original version of the classic
hard rock
song on their album
Toys in the Attic
. The original intention was to just rap over a sample of the song, but Rubin and Jay insisted on doing a complete
cover version
. Members of the group Aerosmith (including
Steven Tyler
and
Joe Perry
) were called to join Run-DMC in the studio to add their vocals and guitars.
[21]
The song and video became one of the biggest hits of the 1980s, reaching No. 4 on the Hot 100, and cemented Run-DMC's crossover status. It also resurrected Aerosmith's career.
[22]
The single "
My Adidas
" led to the group signing a $1,600,000 endorsement deal with athletic apparel brand Adidas. Adidas formed a long-term relationship with Run-DMC and hip hop.
[23]
This has been described as the "beginning of what we have come to know as
hip hop fashion
".
[24]
The success of
Raising Hell
is often credited with kick-starting
hip hop's golden age
, when rap music's visibility, variety, and commercial viability exploded onto the national stage and became a global phenomenon.
[17]
Their success paved the way for acts like LL Cool J and the Beastie Boys. 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-DMC's lyrics had been angry, confrontational and aggressive, they typically denounced crime and ignorance, but the media began to blame the group for the incidents. In the wake of the violence, Run-DMC would call for a day of peace between the gangs in Los Angeles.
In 1987, following on from the Raising Hell Tour, Run-DMC embarked on the Together Forever Tour with the
Beastie Boys
.
Tougher Than Leather
, changing times
[
edit
]
After spending 1987 on tour supporting
Raising Hell
, Run-DMC released
Tougher Than Leather
in 1988. The album saw the group discarding much of their rap rock leanings for a grittier, more
sample
-heavy sound. Despite not selling as well as its predecessor, the album boasted several strong singles, including: "
Run's House
", "Beats to the Rhyme", and "Mary Mary". Though at the time considered a disappointing follow-up to the blockbuster
Raising Hell
, the album has grown in stature. 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".
[25]
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 indirect relationship between Run-DMC and the Def Jam label which led to the common misconception that the group was signed to the label. They
were
, however,
managed
by Russell Simmons, produced by Rick Rubin (who founded Def Jam, along with Simmons), and often shared
concert tour
spotlight with acts on the label's roster.
Amidst the changing times and sliding sales, Run-DMC 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 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. McDaniels, who had been a heavy drinker in recent years, was losing control to alcoholism. Jay was involved in a life-threatening car accident and survived two gunshot wounds after an incident in 1990. In 1991, Simmons was charged with raping a college student in Ohio, though the charges were later dropped.
[26]
With so much personal chaos and professional uncertainty, the members turned to faith to try to steady their lives. Both Simmons and McDaniels joined the church, with Run becoming especially devoted following his legal troubles and the toll it took on his finances.
[27]
After a three-year hiatus that seemingly saw rap music move on without them, the rejuvenated Run-DMC 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
and
Q-Tip
of
A Tribe Called Quest
). Buoyed by the title track and first single, the album entered the charts at No. 1 and No. 7 on the pop charts.
[22]
Even though the album went platinum, the song proved to be their last hit.
Jam Master Jay
also found success on his own; he had founded his own label
JMJ Records
, and discovered and produced the group
Onyx
, which had tremendous success in 1993 following the release of their hit single, "Slam". Later that same year, Run became an ordained minister, and in 1995 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.
Later years, Mizell's murder and break-up
[
edit
]
Over the next few years, the group did very little recording. Mizell produced and mentored up and coming artists, including
Onyx
and
50 Cent
, who he eventually signed to the JMJ label. Simmons got divorced, remarried, and began to focus on his spiritual and philanthropic endeavors by becoming a reverend. He also wrote a book alongside his brother Russell.
[8]
McDaniels, also married, made an appearance on the
Notorious B.I.G.
's 1997 double-album
Life After Death
, and focused on raising his family.
Though the group continued to tour around the world, over a decade of living a rap superstar lifestyle was beginning to take a toll on McDaniels. He was beginning to tire of Run-DMC, and there was increased friction between him and Simmons, who was eager to return to recording (Simmons had at this time adopted the moniker
Rev Run
in light of his religious conversion). While on tour in Europe in 1997, McDaniels' ongoing battle with substance abuse led to a bout of severe depression, which spurred an addiction to prescription drugs. McDaniels' depression continued for years, so much so that he contemplated suicide.
[28]
In 1997, producer and
remixer
Jason Nevins
remixed "
It's Tricky
" and "
It's Like That
". Nevins' 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-DMC appeared in it. In 1999, Run-DMC recorded the theme song for
WWF
wrestling stable
D-Generation X
entitled "The Kings", which appeared on the
WWF Aggression
album. They also made an appearance in a rare version of the music video "
Bodyrock
" by
Moby
.
Soon after, the group finally returned to the studio, but in an increasingly tense environment, as Simmons and McDaniels' differences had begun to show. In the wake of the exploding popularity of rap-rock artists like
Korn
,
Limp Bizkit
, and
Kid Rock
, Simmons wanted to return to the aggressive, hard rock-tinged sound that made the group famous. McDaniels ? 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 documentary series
Behind the Music
in early 2000, McDaniels confirmed that he was creatively frustrated and highlighted some songs that he was recording on his own. The continued friction led to McDaniels sitting out most of the group's recording sessions in protest.
[
citation needed
]
Simmons, in defiance, recorded material anyway, inviting several guest stars such as Kid Rock, Jermaine Dupri, Adrian Burley, Tony Fredianelli and Stephan Jenkins of
Third Eye Blind
,
Method Man
, and fellow Queens MCs
Nas
and
Prodigy
of
Mobb Deep
to contribute to the project. The resulting album,
Crown Royal
, was delayed due to the personal problems, and when it was finally released in 2001, it featured only three appearances by DMC. Despite no major singles, the album initially sold well. However, many critics
[
who?
]
blasted the lack of DMC's involvement. Some positive reviews were published:
Entertainment Weekly
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."
[29]
After
Crown Royal
, the group embarked on a worldwide tour with their "Walk This Way" compatriots,
Aerosmith
. The tour was a rousing success, celebrating the collaboration between the two acts and acknowledging the innumerable rap and rock acts that had been influenced by their seminal hit 15 years prior.
[
citation needed
]
Even though he had little to do with the album, McDaniels was relishing the stage; he had been suffering from an inoperable vocal disorder that had rendered his once-booming voice a strained mumble. Performing allowed McDaniels to come out of his depression and he appeared revitalized on the tour. There was even talk of Run-DMC finally signing with Def Jam, which by then was no longer held by its original founders.
[
citation needed
]
Simmons, however, had been growing increasingly tired of hip hop. His family was growing, and he was assisting with his brother Russell's
Phat Farm
clothing imprint,(cap) making Run-DMC less of a priority. Despite the success of the tour and Aerosmith consequently discussing adding additional dates, Simmons abruptly announced that he was quitting.
[30]
Murder
[
edit
]
On October 30, 2002, Mizell was shot and killed at his recording studio in Queens.
[31]
Fans and friends set up a memorial outside the studio with Adidas sneakers, albums, and flowers. In the aftermath, Simmons and McDaniels announced the official disbanding of the group.
[32]
Mizell's murder remained unsolved until August 2020, with the arrest of Ronald Washington and Karl Jordan Jr.
[33]
Washington and Jordan Jr. would later be convicted for the murder in February 2024.
[34]
A third suspect, Jay Bryant, was charged in May 2023, but was later arranged to have a trial which would be separate from Washington and Jordan Jr which is scheduled to begin in January 2026.
[35]
[36]
[37]
Post-breakup
[
edit
]
In 2004, Run-DMC was one of the first acts honored on the first annual
VH1
Hip Hop Honors
, alongside legends like
2Pac
and
The Sugarhill Gang
. The
Beastie Boys
paid tribute. Simmons did not attend the show; he was recording his first solo album,
Distortion
. McDaniels also released a solo album,
Checks Thugs and Rock n Roll
. He had recently discovered that he was adopted, which led him to be the center of the VH1 program
My Adoption Journey
, a documentary chronicling his re-connection with his biological family. McDaniels was also featured in the 2008 video game,
Guitar Hero: Aerosmith
, making appearances in the songs "Walk this Way" and "King of Rock". He frequently contributed to VH1 programs such as the
I Love The...
series, and he released the song "Rock Show" featuring singer
Stephan Jenkins
. Simmons also turned to television, starring in
Run's House
, a reality show that followed his life as a father and husband.
In June 2007, McDaniels appeared with Aerosmith performing "Walk This Way" for their encore at the Hard Rock Calling festival in London. Simmons 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 also covered "For What It's Worth" at the end of the show. In 2007, Mizell's wife, Terry, Simmons, and McDaniels also launched the J.A.M. Awards in Jay's memory. Jay's vision for social
J
ustice,
A
rts and
M
usic was promoted by many recording artists, including
Snoop Dogg
,
LL Cool J
,
Raekwon
,
Jim Jones
, M.O.P.,
Papoose
,
Everlast
,
DJ Muggs
,
Kid Capri
,
De La Soul
,
Mobb Deep
,
EPMD
,
Dead Prez
,
Biz Markie
and
Marley Marl
. In October 2008, Mizell's one-time protege
50 Cent
announced plans to produce a documentary about his fallen mentor.
[38]
In 2008 Run-DMC was nominated for 2009 induction into the
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
.
On January 14, 2009, it was confirmed that Run-DMC would be one of the five inductees to the
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
.
[39]
On April 3, 2009, Run-DMC became the second rap act to be awarded the honor (after
Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five
, who were inducted in 2007).
[40]
The group reunited at Jay-Z's Made in America Festival in September 2012. Simmons and McDaniels then reunited again for
Fun Fun Fun Fest
in
Austin, Texas
in November 2012, and again in June 2013 and August 2014 for summer concerts in
Atlanta
, Georgia.
[41]
Following the success of
Notorious
, it was announced in 2009 that a Run-DMC biographical film was in the works, with the screenplay by
Notorious
writer
Cheo Hodari Coker
. The film was rumored to depict the life and story of the group beginning from their inception in Hollis, Queens, and leading up to the 2002 murder of
Jam Master Jay
.
[42]
However, the project has yet to go into production.
In September 2021, McDaniels was signed to
Nickelodeon
to perform the music for the NOGGIN SVOD series ‘’What's The Word?’’ a 15-episodes series which featured an animated version replica of McDaniels teaching children reading and vocabulary skills. The soundtrack for the short-form program was released on January 13, 2022. At the same time, Nickelodeon collaborated with McDaniels for a consumer products line deal. On January 4, 2022, McDaniels published his first children's book called ‘’Daryl's Dream’’ and since then, all of McDaniels’ preschool content portfolio was compiled into an Amazon.com page titled "Young DMC" which is a wordplay on the name of the former hip-hop trio.
Legacy
[
edit
]
Stephen Thomas Erlewine
, editor of
AllMusic
, has written: "More than any other hip hop group, Run-D.M.C. are responsible for the sound and style of [hip-hop] music."
[43]
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 intentionally 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-DMC 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 thump of early
Wu-Tang Clan
and
Nas
. Their influence was not limited to the East Coast, however. Los Angeles'
N.W.A
, on their landmark 1988 album
Straight Outta Compton
, showed heavy influences from
Tougher Than Leather
-era Run-DMC, and
Chicano
rap act
Cypress Hill
were definitely influenced by Run-DMC's fusion of rap and rock.
Rap rock
fusion proved to be influential among rock artists, with 1980s bands like
Faith No More
, and
Red Hot Chili Peppers
adding elements of rap to
alternative rock
and
heavy metal
. Most notably, the rap rock genre became popular in the late 1990s, with bands like
Urban Dance Squad
,
Rage Against the Machine
,
KoRn
,
Kid Rock
,
Limp Bizkit
, and
Linkin Park
. Aesthetically, they changed the way rappers presented themselves. 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-DMC 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 by wearing jeans, lace-less
Adidas
sneakers, and their trademark black
fedoras
. The group shunned 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 of their style included LL Cool J and the Beastie Boys; seemingly overnight, rappers were wearing jeans and sneakers instead of rhinestones and leather outfits. From Adidas
tracksuits
and rope chains to baggy jeans and
Timberland
footwear, 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 Sugarhill 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: young 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.
[18]
In 2004,
Rolling Stone
ranked them number 48 in their list of the "
100 Greatest Artists of All Time
".
[4]
In 2007, Run-DMC was named "The Greatest Hip Hop Group of All Time" by MTV.com and "Greatest Hip Hop Artist of All Time" by
VH1
.
[10]
[9]
In 2009, Run-DMC became the second hip hop group to be inducted into the
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
.
[11]
In 2016, Run-DMC received the
Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award
.
[12]
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 its musical and artistic evolution and enabling its growth as a global phenomenon. Run-DMC is the first rap act to have reached a number of major accomplishments:
[44]
- A No. 1 R&B charting hip hop album
- The second hip hop act to appear on
American Bandstand
(the Sugar Hill Gang appeared first on the program in 1981)
- The first hip hop act to chart in the Top 40 of the
Billboard
Hot 100
more than once
- The first hip hop artist with a Top 10 pop charting rap album
- One of the first hip hop artists with
Gold, Platinum, and multi-Platinum
albums
- The first hip hop act to appear on the cover of
Rolling Stone
magazine
- One of the first hip hop acts to receive a
Grammy Award
nomination
- The first hip hop act to make a video appearance on
MTV
- The first hip hop act to perform at a major arena
- Signed to a major product endorsement deal (
Adidas
)
- The second hip hop act to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (the first being
Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five
)
However, the's group legacy of being staunchly anti-drug, which included participating in an anti-drug
public service announcement
, holding anti-drug shows, and even including an anti-drug message in their song "
It's Tricky
", would be called into question during the lead up to the trial of Jam Master Jay's suspected killers Karl Jordan Jr. and Ronald Washington, with prosecutors revealing that Jam Master Jay himself would secretly become a high-kilo cocaine dealer in 1996.
[45]
It was also revealed that his murder was connected to these dealings.
[45]
However, his family still maintained that he didn't use drugs and the business was used to pay his expenses.
[45]
Discography
[
edit
]
Studio albums
Filmography
[
edit
]
Music videos
- Rock Box
(1984)
- King of Rock
(1985)
- You Talk Too Much
(1985)
- It's Tricky
(1986)
- My Adidas
(1986)
- Proud to Be Black
(1986)
- Walk This Way
(feat.
Aerosmith
) (1986)
- Mary, Mary
(1988)
- Beats to the Rhyme
(live) (1988)
- Christmas in Hollis
(1988)
- Run's House
(1988)
- Pause
(1989)
- Ghostbusters
(1989)
- The Ave.
(1990)
- What's It All About
(1990)
- Faces
(1991)
- Christmas Is
(1992)
- Down with the King
(feat.
Pete Rock & CL Smooth
) (1993)
- Ooh, What'cha Gonna Do
(1993)
- Praise My DJ's
(feat.
Justine Simmons
) (1999)
- The Kings [D-Generation X]
(2000)
- Let's Stay Together (Together Forever)
(feat.
Jagged Edge
) (2001)
- Rock Show
(featuring
Stephan Jenkins
) (2001)
References
[
edit
]
- ^
Augustin K. Sedgewick (November 6, 2002).
"Run-D.M.C. Call It Quits"
. RollingStone
. Retrieved
April 9,
2015
.
- ^
"Run-D.M.C."
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
. Retrieved
September 12,
2019
.
- ^
"Run-D.M.C. Performs For Final Time At 'Hip-Hop 50' In New York"
.
- ^
a
b
c
d
"Music News: Latest and Breaking Music News"
. Rolling Stone. Archived from
the original
on May 21, 2006
. Retrieved
September 29,
2013
.
- ^
"Run-D.M.C. Chart History"
.
Billboard
. Retrieved
November 30,
2019
.
- ^
Dreisinger, Baz (February 13, 2019).
"Run-DMC, Aerosmith and the Song That Changed Everything"
.
The New York Times
.
ISSN
0362-4331
. Retrieved
November 30,
2019
.
- ^
Together Forever: Greatest Hits 1983?1991
(Compact disc liner). Run-D.M.C. New York City:
Profile Records
. 1991. PCD-1419.
{{
cite AV media notes
}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (
link
)
- ^
a
b
c
Winning, B (November 2006). "Run-DMC: 'It's like that".
REMIX, Electronic ? Urban
.
8
(11).
- ^
a
b
"MTV News: The Greatest Hip-Hop Groups Of All Time"
. Mtv.com. March 9, 2006
. Retrieved
December 7,
2009
.
- ^
a
b
"VH1: 50 Greatest Hip Hop Artists"
. Rock on the Net
. Retrieved
December 7,
2009
.
- ^
a
b
"Run-DMC"
.
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
. Retrieved
January 21,
2018
.
- ^
a
b
Legaspi, Althea (January 14, 2016).
"Run-D.M.C. to Receive GRAMMY Lifetime Achievement Award"
.
Rolling Stone
. Retrieved
March 13,
2019
.
- ^
"National Recording Registry Reaches 500 [MARCH 21, 2018]"
.
loc.gov
. Retrieved
May 1,
2019
.
- ^
a
b
"Run DMC Biography"
.
OldSchoolHipHop.com
.
- ^
Weiner, Jonah.
"Run-DMC Record 'It's Like That/Sucker MCs'"
Archived
June 30, 2006, at the
Wayback Machine
,
Blender
, September 15, 2004.
- ^
"What Does RUN-D.M.C. Stand For?"
.
CLASSIC HIP HOP MAGAZINE
. Archived from
the original
on July 28, 2020
. Retrieved
December 1,
2019
.
- ^
a
b
c
d
e
Colin Larkin
, ed. (1997).
The Virgin Encyclopedia of Popular Music
(Concise ed.).
Virgin Books
. pp. 1044/5.
ISBN
1-85227-745-9
.
- ^
a
b
"Biography of Run-DMC"
.
Rolling Stone
.com
. Retrieved
February 11,
2015
.
- ^
Vineyard, Jennifer (November 4, 2002).
"DMC Speaks On Jam Master Jay's Role In The Run-DMC Legacy"
. MTV.com
. Retrieved
December 7,
2009
.
- ^
Run DMC Slammed The 1980s
- ^
"Walk This Way by Uncovering the Cover ? A podcast on Anchor"
.
Anchor
. Archived from
the original
on April 10, 2020
. Retrieved
April 10,
2020
.
- ^
a
b
"Hall of Fame: Run-DMC bring rap to the masses".
REMIX, Electronic ? Urban
.
- ^
"Adidas Promotes Shoes With Run DMC Charity"
.
BizBash.com
. Retrieved
December 7,
2009
.
- ^
Romero, Elena (2012).
Free Stylin': How Hip Hop Changed the Fashion Industry
. ABC-CLIO.
ISBN
978-0-313-38646-6
. Retrieved
January 20,
2020
.
- ^
"HIPHOPINJESMOEL ? "Tougher Than Leather" Liner Notes by Chuck D"
. Hiphopinjesmoel.com. Archived from
the original
on July 2, 2007
. Retrieved
December 7,
2009
.
- ^
Pringle, Gill.
"Reverend Run: Pray this way"
,
The Independent
, June 7, 2006.
- ^
Millner, Denene.
"He's Rev. Run ? For His New Life Rapper's Delight Now Religion"
,
New York Daily News
, October 10, 2000.
- ^
Wells, Christina.
"'DMC: My Adoption Journey' Documentary Nominated for Emmy Award"
at his official website, July 25, 2007.
- ^
Browne, David.
"Music Capsule Review: Run-DMC: Crown Royal (Arista)"
Archived
August 11, 2014, at the
Wayback Machine
,
Entertainment Weekly
, April 6, 2001, p.120.
- ^
Ro, Ronin (October 18, 2005).
Raising Hell: The Reign, Ruin, and Redemption of Run-D.M.C. and Jam Master Jay
. HarperCollins.
ISBN
9780060781958
.
- ^
"Run-DMC DJ slain in recording studio ? Nov. 1, 2002"
. CNN.com
. Retrieved
September 29,
2013
.
- ^
McShane, Jamie; Murphey, Chris (November 6, 2002).
"Surviving Run-DMC members retire group"
.
CNN
. Archived from
the original
on November 5, 2007
. Retrieved
November 6,
2002
.
- ^
Ashley Southall, Mihir Zaveri, and Alan Feuer (August 17, 2020).
"2 Are Charged in Killing of Jam Master Jay, Hip-Hop Pioneer?The two men had long been suspects in the 2002 killing of the D.J., a member of the group Run-DMC"
.
The New York Times
. Retrieved
August 17,
2020
.
{{
cite news
}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (
link
)
- ^
"Jam Master Jay murder: 2 men convicted nearly 22 years after Run-DMC's rapper's death"
. USA Today. February 27, 2024
. Retrieved
March 5,
2024
.
- ^
Romero, Dennis (February 27, 2024).
"2 men found guilty of murder in Jam Master Jay killing"
. NBC News
. Retrieved
March 5,
2024
.
- ^
Annese, John (May 30, 2023).
"Third man charged in cold-case murder of hip-hop icon Jam Master Jay in Queens"
.
New York Daily News
. Retrieved
March 5,
2024
.
- ^
Annese, John (October 15, 2023).
"Jam Master Jay murder suspect will get separate trial from other two accused killers"
.
New York Daily News
. Retrieved
November 28,
2023
.
- ^
Jason.
"50 Cent Produces Jam Master Jay Documentary"
Archived
January 17, 2019, at the
Wayback Machine
, rapbasement.com, October 28, 2008.
- ^
Vozick-Levinson, Simon (January 14, 2009).
"Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees '09: Metallica, Run-D.M.C., and more"
.
Entertainment Weekly
. Retrieved
February 11,
2015
.
- ^
Rock Hall Nominations
,
USA Today
, September 22, 2008.
- ^
"Braves Summer Concert Series ? Run DMC | braves.com: Tickets"
. Atlanta.braves.mlb.com. May 24, 2013. Archived from
the original
on June 8, 2013
. Retrieved
September 29,
2013
.
- ^
"Run-DMC Biopic Heading to the Big Screen With Help of Notorious Writer | Music News"
. Rolling Stone. January 29, 2009
. Retrieved
September 29,
2013
.
- ^
Erlewine, Stephen Thomas.
Run-D.M.C. Biography
at Allmusic.com
- ^
"Run-DMC"
. January 29, 2009. Archived from
the original
on January 29, 2009.
- ^
a
b
c
Peltz, Jennifer (January 27, 2024).
"A trial in Run-DMC star Jam Master Jay's 2002 killing is starting, and testing his anti-drug image"
. Associated Press
. Retrieved
January 29,
2024
.
Notes
[
edit
]
- Appiah, Kwame Anthony and Gates, David Turner
Arts and Letters: An A-to-Z Reference of Writers, Musicians, and Artists of the African American Experience
. Running Press: Philadelphia: 2004.
ISBN
0-7624-2042-1
Further reading
[
edit
]
- Adler, Bill (1987).
Tougher Than Leather: The Authorized Biography of Run-DMC
. New American Library.
ISBN
0965653560
.
- Brown, Terrell, "Reverend Run (Run-DMC)," Mason Crest Publishers, 2008.
- Joseph Simmons, Daryl McDaniels and Amy Linden,"Niggas With Beatitude," Transition, 1993
- McDaniels, Darryl (with Haring, Bruce), "King of Rock: Respect, Responsibility, and My Life with Run-DMC," Thomas Dunne Books/St. Martin's Press, 2001.
- Reverend Run, The (with Taylor, Curtis L.), "It's Like That: A Spiritual Memoir," St. Martin's Press, 2000.
- Ro, Ronin, "Raising Hell: The Reign, Ruin, and Redemption of Run-DMC and Jam Master Jay," Amistad, 2005.
- Thigpen, David E. (2003).
Jam Master Jay: The Heart of Hip-Hop
. Pocket Books.
ISBN
0743476948
.
External links
[
edit
]
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