RUN DMC and JAM MASTER JAAAAAY!

Run–D.M.C.,  in my humble opinion, is one of the most influential acts in the history of hip hop. At a time when most music industry people thought that rap music was a fad or a novelty (if they'd heard of it at all), this group validated the style, language, and culture of urban kids across America (and eventually the rest of the world).

Although a few earlier rap acts had garnered some popularity, before Run-DMC, this group took it to an entriely new level. Theirs was the first rap video ever played on MTV (Rock Box, in 1984). And they were:

• the  first rap artist with gold, platinum, and multi-platinum albums.
• the first rap act to incorporate hard rock/heavy metal guitar into their songs.
• the first rap act to appear on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine.
• the first rap act to chart in the Top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100 more than once.
• the first rap artists with a Top 10 pop charting rap album (Raising Hell).
• the only rap act invited to perform at Live Aid in 1985.
• the first rap act to perform to sign a major product endorsement deal (Adidas, of course!).

In the 1980's, these college freshmen from Hollis Queens released four albums. All are great, but the third, Raising Hell, was groundbreaking. Produced by Rick Rubin, and featuring Walk This Way, the remake/collaboration with Aerosmith (widely seen as restarting Aerosmith's fading career), this album went triple-platinum and put rap music on the mainstream map.

So today, my tribute to Joseph "Run" Simmons, Darryl "D.M.C." McDaniels, and the late, great, Jason "Jam-Master Jay" Mizell!



Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.-Proverbs 3:5