 
Musical history will look back one day at the 90s
being the decade of hip-hop and rap emergence into
the mainstream. Run-D.M.C. can at least take credit
for starting this emergence in the 80s and
influencing many of the artists that made it big in
hip-hop years later. In the history of rap music,
Run-D.M.C. can claim many firsts including the first
rap act to have a #1 R&B LP and the first rap act
to make the cover of Rolling
Stone
magazine. Run-D.M.C. consists of Run (Joseph
Simmons), D.M.C. (Darryl McDaniel), and Jam Master
Jay (Jason Mizell).
Run-D.M.C. got together in Hollis, Queens after
graduating from high school.
When Run-D.M.C. emerged they gave rap a rougher edge,
focusing more on lyrical statements than dance
grooves. Suddenly LPs contained all rap songs with
hard beats instead of an occasional rap track, and
rap songs making it to the radio were all rap, not
just an inclusion of a rap riff. Run-D.M.C. released
several singles that gradually allowed the group to
become more successful: "It's Like That,"
"Hard Times," and "Rock Box."
They released their first LP, Run-D.M.C.
Run-D.M.C. was certified gold.
Run-D.M.C. released King
Of Rock
and were at the top of their musical genre with
many imitators trying to equal their success. Hit
tracks off the LP included "King Of Rock"
and "You Talk Too Much." The LP went
platinum two years later.
King
Of Rock
was certified gold.
 # 50
Singles Artist of the Year
Run-D.M.C. made it onto pop radio with their cover of
Aerosmith's "Walk This Way." The single was a Top 10 pop hit
and gave the trio more exposure on video channels
(the first rap act to have major exposure on MTV).
Their third LP Raising
Hell,
was very successful and also included the Top 40
hit "You Be Illin'" and the track
"It's Tricky." The LP went Top 10 on the
Pop charts, became the first rap LP to hit #1 on the
R&B charts, and went triple-platinum.
 Raising
Hell was
certified 2x platinum.
Run-DMC performed in New York at an anti-crack
concert.
 # 200
Singles Artist of the Year
Run-DMC were nominated for 5 American Music Awards for Favorite
Pop/Rock Band/Duo/Group Video Artist, Favorite
Soul/R&B Band/Duo/Group, Favorite Soul/R&B Album (Raising
Hell),
Favorite Soul/R&B Video, and Favorite
Soul/R&B Band/Duo/Group Video Artist.
 King
Of Rock
was certified platinum.
Run-DMC were nominated for a Grammy Award for Best R&B Vocal Performance by a Duo
or Group (Raising
Hell).
Raising
Hell was
certified 3x platinum.
The video for "Walk This Way" was nominated for 2 MTV Video Music Awards for Best Stage Performance Video and Best Overall Performance.
Run-DMC were nominated for an American Music Award for Favorite
Soul/R&B Band/Duo/Group.
Run-D.M.C.'s follow-up LP, Tougher
Than Leather was released in conjunction
with a film of the same name starring the group. But
by '88, the focus of popular rap had changed toward
more hardcore, street artists, and Run-D.M.C.'s
success failed to hold strong. Neither the LP or the
movie were considered hit releases although the LP
did go platinum.
 Tougher
Than Leather was certified platinum.
Run-D.M.C. were nominated for 2 American Music Awards for Favorite
Rap/Hip-Hop Artist and Favorite Rap/Hip-Hop Album (Tougher
Than Leather).
Run-D.M.C. released Back
From Hell.
Even though critics enjoyed the LP (Q magazine called it "one
for the woofers... and ferocious," the LP failed
to go platinum.
The trio continued to be over-shadowed by other rap
acts making their way to stardom. Personal problems
plagued the group soon after with McDaniel's dealing
with alcoholism and Simmons being accused of rape.
Both men became born-again Christians after the
alcoholism was worked on and rape charges dismissed.
A greatest hits collection, Together
Forever: Greatest Hits 1983-91, was released and included
their rap holiday classic, "Christmas In
Hollis" (originally contributed to the A
Very Special Christmas compilation).
 # 111 Singles
Artist of the Year
Run-D.M.C. hit the Top 40 with "Down With The King."
Run-D.M.C. released what many called their comeback
LP, Down
With The King which gave them another Top 40
hit with the title track. The LP sold well and many
of today's biggest rap artists still praise
Run-D.M.C. as their inspiration and as the innovators
of rap.
Run-D.M.C. topped the Billboard Hot Rap Singles chart
for 2 weeks with "Down With The King."
Down
With The King topped the Billboard Top R&B Albums
chart for a week.
Run-D.M.C. could be heard on The
Beavis And Butthead Experience with "Bounce."
The singles "Walk This Way" and "Down With The King" were certified gold.
Down
With The King was certified gold.
 Rolling Stone:
"The 100 Top Music Videos" included "Walk This Way" at # 11.
 Rock 'N
Roll Hall Of Fame's 500 Songs That Shaped Rock
And Roll
includes "Walk This Way."
Run-D.M.C. (with Jason Nevins)
topped the UK Singles charts with "It's Like
That" for 6 weeks.
 MTV: 100 Greatest Videos Ever
Made
includes "Walk This Way" at # 5.
 Crown
Royal was
released after numerous delays and featured
appearances by Kid Rock, Nas, Method Man,
and more. The delays of the LP were said to be due to
the management of Kid Rock and Limp Bizkit's Fred Durst not wanting their
contributions used as singles of the LP.
VH1: 100 Greatest Videos includes: # 11 - "Walk This Way" (with Aerosmith).
Run D.M.C. released Greatest
Hits.
Jam Master Jay was shot and killed on October 30th at
the age of 37. Jay (Jason Mizell) was shot in a
recording studio in Queens, New York by an unknown
assailant and died from a gunshot wound to the head.
Run-D.M.C. had recently finished touring with Aerosmith and Kid Rock. Darryl McDaniels (DMC) said
of the loss: "I am deeply saddened and shocked
by the loss of my friend and long-time partner Jam
Master Jay. He was family to me. We grew up together.
We ate together. We slept together. We laughed
together. We lived two-third's of our lives together.
He made every DJ not want to use a DAT machine. He
stuck to the true essence of what a DJ in a hip-hop
performance should be. The whole music industry has
lost a great talent. I always thought we would be
together forever. I will truly miss him." Aerosmith issued the comments: "Jay
was scratching before anyone had the itch and was
still at the top of his game when we played with him
this summer. We will hear him every night when we
play 'Walk This Way'."
Run announced the end of Run-DMC due to Jay's death:
"Nobody wants to see Run and DMC without Jay.
Jay was definitely one third of the group... Run-DMC
is officially retired. I can't get out onstage with a
new DJ."
VH1: 50 Greatest Hip Hop Artists includes Run-DMC at # 1.
 VH1: 100 Best Songs of the Past
25 Years includes "Walk This Way" at # 6.
The CD/DVD, Ultimate
Run-D.M.C.,
was released.
Rolling Stone: The 500
Greatest Albums of All Time: # 120: Raising
Hell, # 240:
Run-D.M.C..
Rolling Stone: The Immortals -
The 100 Greatest Artists of All Time included Run-DMC at # 48.
VH1: 100 Greatest Songs of the
80's
included "Walk This Way" at # 9.
Entertainment Weekly: 100 Best
Albums of the Last 25 Years included Raising
Hell at #
38.
Run-DMC were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall
of Fame.
|
Run-D.M.C.
Released: 1984
US:
Gold
 Billboard peak: # 53
Rolling Stone review: 
Tracks: "Hard Time" - "Rock
Box" - "Jam Master Jay" -
"Hollis Crew (Krush-Groove 2)" -
"Sucker M.C.'s (Krush-Groove 1)" -
"It's Like That" - "Wake Up"
- "30 Days" - "Jay's Game" |
|
King
Of Rock
Released: January, 1985
US:
Platinum
Billboard peak: # 52
Rolling Stone review:
Tracks: "Rock The House" -
"King Of Rock" - "You Talk Too
Much" - "Jam-Master Jammin'" -
"Roots, Rap, Reggae" - "Can You
Rock It Like This" - "You're
Blind" - "It's Not Funny" -
"Darryl And Joe (Krush-Groove 3)" |
iTunes
Amazon.mp3
vinyl |
Raising
Hell
Released: May, 1986
US:
3x Platinum
Billboard peak: # 3
Rolling Stone review: 
Tracks: "Peter Piper" -
"It's Tricky" - "My Adidas" -
"Walk This Way" - "Is It
Live" - "Perfection" - "Hit
It Run" - "Raising Hell" -
"You Be Illin'" - "Dumb Girl"
- "Son Of Byford" - "Proud To Be
Proud" |
|
Tougher
Than Leather
Released: May, 1988
US:
Platinum
Billboard peak: # 9
Rolling Stone review: 
Tracks: "Run's House" -
"Mary, Mary" - "They Call Us
Run-D.M.C." - "Beats To The Rhyme"
- "Radio Station" - "Papa
Crazy" - "Tougher Than Leather" -
"I'm Not Going Out Like That" -
"How'd Ya Do It Dee" - "Miss
Elaine" - "Soul To Rock And Roll"
- "Ragtime" |
|
Back
From Hell
Released: November, 1990
Billboard peak: # 81
Rolling Stone review: 
Tracks: "Sucker D.J.'s" -
"The Ave." - "What's It All
About" - "Bob Your Head" -
"Faces" - "Kick The Frama Lama
Lama" - "Pause" - "Word Is
Born" - "Back From Hell" -
"Don't Stop" - "Groove To The
Sound" - "P Upon A Tree" -
"Naughty" - "Livin' In The
City" - "Not Just Another Groove"
- "Party Time" |
|
Together
Forever: Greatest Hits 1983-91
Released: November, 1991
Billboard peak: # 199
Rolling Stone review:
Tracks: "Sucker M.C.'s (Krush-Groove
1)" - "Walk This Way" (with Aerosmith) -
"Together Forever (Krush-Groove 4)"
(live) - "King Of Rock" - "Run's
House" - "It's Tricky" -
"Pause" - "You Be Illin'" -
"My Adidas" - "Here We Go"
(live) - "Rock Box" - "The
Ave." - "Hard Times" - "Beats
To The Rhyme" - "Jam Master Jay" -
"Peter Piper" - "It's Like
That" - "Christmas In Hollis" |
|
Down
With The King
Released: May, 1993
US:
Gold
Billboard peak: # 7
Entertainment Weekly: B
Tracks: "Down With The King" - "Come On
Everybody" - "Can I Get It, Yo" -
"Hit 'Em Hard" - "To The
Maker" - "3 In The Head" -
"Ooh, Whatcha Gonna Do" - "Big
Willie" - "Three Little Indians" -
"In The House" - "Can I Get A
Witness" - "Get Open" -
"What's Next" - "Wreck Shop"
- "For 10 Years" |
|
Crown
Royal
Released: April, 2000
Billboard peak: # 37
Rolling Stone review: - Entertainment
Weekly: B-
Tracks: "It's Over" -
"Queens Day" - "Crown Royal"
- "Them Girls" - "Take The Money
And Run" - "Rock Show" -
"Here We Go 2001" - "Ahhh" -
"Let's Stay Together (Together
Forever)" - "Ay Papi" -
"Simmons Incorporated" |
|
Greatest
Hits
Released: September, 2002
Tracks: "King Of Rock" -
"It's Tricky" - "Beats To The
Rhyme" - "Can You Rock It Like
This" - "Walk This Way" - "Run's
House" - "Rock Box" - "Peter
Piper" - "Mary, Mary" - "Hard
Times" - "You Be Illin'" -
"It's Like That" - "My
Adidas" - "Sucker M.C.'s (Krush-Groove
1)" - "You Talk Too Much" -
"Jam Master Jay" - "Down With The King" - "Christmas In
Hollis" |
iTunes
Amazon.mp3 |
Ultimate
Run DMC
Released: October, 2003
Tracks: "Rock Box" - "Run's
House" - "Walk This Way" - "Together
Forever" (live) - "King Of Rock" -
"Jam-Master Jay" - "Hit It
Run" - "It's Tricky" - "Peter
Piper" - "It's Like That" -
"Raising Hell" - "My Adidas"
- "Sucker MC's" - "Mary,
Mary" - "Here We Go" (live) -
"Beats To The Rhyme" - "Down With The King" - "It's Like
That" (Run DMC vs. Jason Nevins) |
| Note: Song title and position
links lead you to the song's Top 40 chart run
(from the ARC Weekly Top 40) and LP links take you to Amazon.com for that LP (often
including track listings and sound samples). |
|
|
