Run-DMC

Run-DMC

(Profile)

Run-DMC

King of Rock (Profile)

Run-DMC

Raising Hell (Profile)

Run-DMC

Tougher Than Leather (Profile)

Over time it becomes increasingly sacrilegious to view Run-DMC as anything less than the primary architects of rap music as we know it today. Indeed, the trio from Hollis, Queens, thrust hip-hop into areas of credibility, making arena performances a reality for what, up through the mid-Eighties, had commonly been considered a passing fad. Springing out of the gate in 1983 with the undeniably amazing B-side "Sucker MC's" backing the surging popularity of singles "Hard Times" and "It's Like That," Run-DMC subsequently leaned on the crossover sensibilities of producers Larry Smith and Rick Rubin to win over fans worldwide. In the process, they alienated themselves from many who felt that their overt posturing as "Kings of Rock" was better left for actual rock bands. As their Aerosmith collaboration "Walk This Way" became the last straw for many former supporters, Run-DMC went on to release one of the most heralded double-sided singles in rap history, "Run's House/Beats to the Rhyme." Better known for songs than albums, the re-release of their first four LPs aims to acclimate younger rap fans to a time when hip-hop was cementing its identity as well as its potential as a marketable commodity. Bonuses include "Christmas in Hollis" and the original Run-DMC version of the Beastie Boys' "Slow and Low," but can hardly compensate for the continued aging of Run-DMC's relatively primitive sound.

(King of Rock, Tougher Than Leather)

(Run-DMC, Raising Hell)