Latest Release
- 22 JUN 2023
- 2 Songs
- Walk This Way - The Best Of · 1973
- 90s 100 Hits · 1983
- Walk This Way - Single · 1986
- Greatest Hits · 1983
- Greatest Hits · 1983
- Tougher Than Leather (Expanded Edition) · 1988
- Tougher Than Leather (Expanded Edition) · 1988
- King of Rock (Expanded Edition) · 1985
- Down With The King · 1993
- Tougher Than Leather (Expanded Edition) · 1988
Albums
- 2001
- 1993
- 1984
Artist Playlists
- Hip-hop's first rock stars moved rap out of the disco era.
- There's no denying the way their in-your-face attitude has shaped hip-hop.
- The relentless storytellers reveal strong rock roots.
Singles & EPs
- 2009
Compilations
- 2006
- 2002
More To Hear
- This song was the bridge between the old school and the new school.
- DJ Spinna features the Queens and Brooklyn hip-hop pioneers.
- Justice may finally be served, 20 years later.
- Q-Tip pays tribute to Jam Master Jay on his birthday.
- Rev Run joins Strombo as the group's LP - Raising Hell turns 35.
- The legendary rapper and Beastie Boys co-founder guests.
- Q-Tip spins LL Cool J, Beastie Boys, Run-DMC, and Slick Rick.
About Run-DMC
Before hip-hop became a dominant cultural force, Run-DMC were steadily working to unlock its global potential. New York native Joseph "Run" Simmons earned his stripes performing with '70s rap pioneer Kurtis Blow. But when Simmons injured his arm, he lost the gig, leaving him to form a group with his friend Darryl "D.M.C." McDaniels in 1981 and add Jason "Jam Master Jay" Mizell later as the DJ. Managed by Run's brother, Def Jam co-founder Russell Simmons, they landed a deal with Profile Records, where they released three classic albums in as many years: 1984's Run-DMC, 1985's King of Rock and 1986's Raising Hell. Rappers would call themselves rock stars as the culture blossomed over future decades, but Run-DMC lived it. They embraced the attitude of rock n' roll with their muscular personalities, loudly shouted rhymes and electric guitars. Still, they were undeniably hip-hop with their booming drums, lethal turntable scratches, street aesthetic and flashy fashion. Between their spot on the 1984 Fresh Festival lineup—the first major U.S. hip-hop tour—and their album tours featuring acts like LL Cool J and Beastie Boys, Run-DMC were among the first to go on the road and prove that rap was commercially viable. Raising Hell demonstrated the group's cultural peak: "My Adidas" earned them the first non-athlete sneaker endorsement, and the Aerosmith collab "Walk This Way" took their hard-rock mission statement to new heights for a genre-mashing addition to the zeitgeist of the '80s. Run-DMC continued making music through the early '90s but went on hiatus due to personal issues until reuniting for 2001's Crown Royal. The album was a victory lap that enlisted the talents of rap rockers like Limp Bizkit and Everlast and new rap legends like Nas and Method Man—all of whom owed a debt to Run-DMC for their innovation decades earlier. The group called it quits in 2002 when Jam Master Jay was tragically murdered at his Queens studio. But even after their dissolution, acts like Eminem and Rick Ross have given them props on wax, ensuring that their legacy lives on for years after they're gone.
- ORIGIN
- Queens, NY, United States
- FORMED
- 1982
- GENRE
- Hip-Hop/Rap