run-d.m.c.

Run–D.M.C. ushered in the new school of hip hop with hard beats and hard rhymes for hard times.  The trio of  Joseph "Run" Simmons, Darryl "D.M.C." McDaniels, and Jason "Jam Master Jay" Mizell grew up together in Hollis, Queens.  With the help of Joseph's older brother hip hop promoter Russell Simmons, the group secured a contract with Profile Records and released their first single 'It's Like That'/'Sucker MC's', which revolutionized rap with its hardcore streetwise sound and embrace of rock.  Likewise, their adoption of street fashion helped to define hip hop style for decades.  Simmons considers:  "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."

Their self titled debut album was recorded at Greene Street Recording in New York with Russell Simmons and Larry Smith co-producing with engineer Rod Hui.   'Run–D.M.C.' features Jam Master Jay on percussion and keyboards,  Darryl McDaniels "D.M.C." on vocals,  Joseph Simmons "Run" on vocals,  and Eddie Martinez on guitar.   

'Run–D.M.C.' went to number fifty-three on the US album chart and twelve on the US R&B chart.  It became the first rap album to be certified gold and was a huge influence on the next wave of hip hop.  McDaniels waxes:     "It's important to remember: when Run DMC came along, we kicked the door wide open, and we left it open. We weren’t one of those groups that said: 'Yo, Russell,  since we’re here, man, don’t sign that person, or don’t follow that person!' When we went to Long Island and saw Chuck D with this incredible voice, me and Jay was like, 'God has come to us from heaven to rock the mic.' And then we see this other cat over there, sitting there with a clock on his neck answering the telephone. We said: 'Yo, sign him.' What I’m trying to say is this: when Run DMC obtained the dynasty that nobody could touch, we still were all inclusive. Hip-hop is supposed to be all inclusive – not this bulls**t that these stupid ass labels say. Think about it like this: Run DMC, LL Cool J, Tribe Called Quest, and Public Enemy, we all lived about five blocks from each other, but we all were completely different. So many labels are out here claiming to have the number-one clique and signing people attached to a particular artist. That really messes up the game!  I remember I sat down with Suge Knight. And Suge Knight said: 'Man, you know what is the most powerful thing about seeing you cats come over to the West Coast? Seeing all of us rolling together. It wasn’t done on a separatist thing and that was dope.' That’s why hip-hop did what it did, because it was all inclusive."





http://www.rundmc.com/







'It's Like That' went to number fifteen on the US R&B singles chart.  
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_hN1SKVx31s



Sucker M.C.'s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ld0ErLw83hw





Rock Box
DMC:  "The first rock rap record was “Rock Box” which was the first rap video to be aired on MTV. We didn’t even have MTV in Hollis. But everybody was like this is a phenomenal thing. Run DMC, you know, Russell and the label and everybody was jumping around. I mean, it was like, 'So? Can we just rock?'"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GND7sPNwWko&feature=kp






'Run–D.M.C.'
full album:



01.Hard Times 
02.Rock Box 
03.Jam-Master Jay
04.Hollis Crew (Krush-Groove 2)
05. Sucker M.C.'s (Krush-Groove 1)
06. It's Like That 
07. Wake Up 
08. 30 Days 
09. Jay's Game 
10. Rock Box (B-Boy Mix) 
11. Here We Go (Live At The Funhouse) 
12. Sucker M.C.'s (Live)
13. Russell & Larry Running At The Mouth