Run-D.M.C | |
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![]() From left to right, Rev Run, Jam-Master Jay and D.M.C.
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Background information | |
Origin | Queens, New York, USA |
Genre(s) | Hip hop, rap rock |
Years active | 1983 – 2002 |
Label(s) | Profile |
Associated acts | Beastie Boys LL Cool J Aerosmith Slick Rick Jason Nevins Kid Rock |
Website | www.RunDMC.com |
Former members | |
Run D.M.C. Jam-Master Jay (deceased) |
Run-D.M.C. was a pioneering hip hop group during the 1980s founded by Joseph "DJ Run" Simmons, Darryl "D.M.C." McDaniels, and Jason "Jam-Master Jay" Mizell. The group had an impact on the development of hip hop through the 1980s and is 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] They have been nominated for possible 2009 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame[3]
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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] After completing high school in 1982, Simmons and McDaniels recruited Mizell to play on the turntables. A year later, they released their first single "Sucker MC's", which was well received, peaking at #15 on the R&B charts.[4] This was followed by other singles such as "Jam Master Jay" and "Hard Times" from their eponymous debut album Run-D.M.C..
The group achieved commercial success in 1986 with the album Raising Hell. It boasts four tracks that reached the top five on the Billboard Hot 100, including Run-D.M.C.'s rendition of "Walk This Way" with Aerosmith. The song and accompanying video, which received heavy airplay on MTV, are credited with both resurrecting Aerosmith's career and helping break rap into the mainstream.
The 1988 album Tougher Than Leather lent its name to the band's film that year, which was directed by Rick Rubin and contained special guest performances by the Beastie Boys and Slick Rick. Run-D.M.C.'s executives at Profile Records were unimpressed by the excessive number of times the Def Jam Records logo popped up in the film, which was mostly because of Russell Simmons' involvement with the project.
The group released Back from Hell in 1990. The album suffered poor sales. It had two singles, the clean, anti-drug song "Pause", and "The Ave".
The group enjoyed mainstream success again in 1993 with Down With the King, which cracked Billboard magazine's Top 10. Pete Rock and CL Smooth contributed verses on the first single, "Down With the King". The album's second single, "Ooh, Watch'cha Gonna Do?", failed to match its predecessor's chart success. Other guests featured on the album were Mad Lion, Q-Tip and Tom Morello.
In 1998, 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".
Although Run-D.M.C. enjoyed plenty of commercial success, the effects of this were not solely positive. In Arts and Letters: An A-to-Z Reference of Writers, Musicians, and Artists of the African American Experience, the article on Run-D.M.C. notes that when their second album, King of Rock was released in 1985, there were also a number of violent incidents at rap concerts. While the media lauded Run-D.M.C. for their music, it also began to focus on "rap as a reflection of violence and drug abuse among young black males." Thus, the group felt torn between their mainstream appeal during the time of negativity in other manifestations of rap music.
Run-D.M.C. also made an appearance in a rare version of the music video "Bodyrock" by Moby.
In 2000, the group contributed to the album WWF Aggression with their version of the D-Generation X theme song "The Kings".
In 2004, Run-DMC were honored on the first annual VH1 Hip Hop Honors
DMC 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".
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.
After group member Jam-Master Jay was shot and killed on October 30, 2002, Run-D.M.C. announced their retirement.[5] 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. Rev. Run can also be seen in the MTV/BET reality series Run's House. McDaniels, meanwhile, frequently contributes to VH1 programs such as the I Love The... series. also making the song "Rock Show" featuring Third Eye Blind singer Stephan Jenkins.
Run-D.M.C. is the first rap act to have reached a number of major accomplishments:
Run-D.M.C. was also the only rap act to perform at Live Aid in 1985.
Album information |
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Run-D.M.C.
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King of Rock
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Raising Hell
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Tougher Than Leather
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Back From Hell
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Down With the King
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Crown Royal
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Year | Title | U.S. Hot 100 | U.S. R&B |
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1983 | "It's Like That" | - | 1 |
1984 | "30 Days" | - | 1 |
"Hard Times" | - | 1 | |
"Hollis Crew (Krush Groove 2)" | - | 1 | |
1985 | "Can You Rock It Like This" | - | 1 |
"Jam-Master Jammin'" | - | 1 | |
"King of Rock" | - | 14 | |
"You Talk Too Much" | - | 1 | |
1986 | "My Adidas" | 4 | 1 |
"Walk This Way" (feat. Aerosmith) | 4 | 8 | |
"You Be Illin'" | 3 | 12 | |
1987 | "It's Tricky" | 3 | 2 |
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 |
2. Appiah, Kwame Anthony and Gates Jr., Henry Louis. Arts and Letters: An A-to-Z Reference of Writers, Musicians, and Artists of the African American Experience. Running Press: Philadelphia: 2004.
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