Run-D.M.C.
Run-DMC (or Run-D.M.C.) was a hip hop band from New York, United States, that powerfully influenced the the development of this musical style.
History
Run-D.M.C. (or Run-DMC) was a group founded by Joseph "DJ Run" Simmons, Darryl "D.M.C." McDaniels, and Jason "Jam-Master Jay" Mizell. It had a huge impact on the development of hip hop in the 1980s. Its members had grown up in the Hollis neighborhood of New York City (United States).
"Run" Simmons is the brother of hip hop legend manager Russell "Rush" Simmons, and entered the hip hop scene for the first big hit of his brother Russell, the author of & # 34;The Breaks & # 34; by Kurtis Blow. He also shared stage experiences with Darryl McDaniels, one of his childhood best friends, who would later become his bandmate.
In 1983 they saw the release of "It's Like That"/"Sucker M.C.'s", the first recording of hip hop whose instrumental part was based only on the sound of a drum machine (Oberheim DMX, in this case programmed by Larry Smith from the band Orange Krush) and scratch; very minimalist but effective. On later recordings (such as "Rock Box" and "King of Rock") they used hard rock lines instead of the sounds of the band. disco and funk usually used by the old school of hip hop. The backing guitarist on those tracks was a session musician named Eddie Martinez.
Like other pioneering hip hop groups, in these early years they had some success among a mainly young, African-American, and urban audience, but little impact in the mainstream media.
In 1986 they released the album Raising Hell, which included a cover of the song "Walk This Way", originally featured on the album Toys in the Attic by the hard rock band Aerosmith, recorded at the request of their new co-producer Rick Rubin, with their collaboration. This song, as well as a joint video clip, benefited both groups: it renewed the popularity of Aerosmith, who were being replaced in their market by younger bands, and helped spread hip hop to a white audience from United States. Many other artists of the genre benefited from this, but Run-DMC also took advantage of this circumstance, although their following albums were not as innovative.
In 1988 they starred in the film Tougher Than Leather, directed by one of their record producers Rick Rubin. In it, the three members of Run-DMC basically played themselves, as three artists giving concerts (most of the songs were their own) and meeting other hip hop stars., like Beastie Boys. But it also has a fictional plot: the three musicians avenge the murder of a black friend, fighting a white gangster played by Rick Rubin himself.
Run-DMC was the first hip hop group to achieve a platinum, multi-platinum, and Grammy nomination. They were the first rappers to appear with a video on MTV (in 1984 with "Rock Box") and the first rappers on a cover of Rolling Stone magazine in 1987. They were They were also the first rappers that many Americans knew, in addition to being the first music group to be sponsored by a multinational clothing brand, Adidas, who later and after signing the contract, would make an exclusive clothing line for the boys of Queens.
On October 30, 2002, Mizell was shot to death in the head at a recording studio on Merrick Boulevard in Queens. Upon learning of his death, his DMC partner wanted to highlight his influence on other DJs by publicly stating:
"He made every DJ not want to use a DAT machine. He stuck to the true essence of what a DJ in a hip-hop performance should be" (He made every DJ not want to use a DAT machine. He stuck to the very essence of what it should be like to DJ at a hip hop performance.)
In 2004, Rolling Stone magazine placed them at number 48 on its list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.
On April 4, 2009, Run-DMC was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
In 2012 it was announced that Simmons and McDaniels will be performing for the first time since 2002 as Run-DMC at Fun Fun Fun Fest 7 in Austin, Texas.
Members
Run DMC was made up of three young men from Queens, New York:
- Jason Mizell (21 January 1965 - 30 October 2002), with artistic name Jam Master Jay - Disc jockey
- Darryl McDaniels, with artistic name DMC - MC (vocalist)
- Joseph Simmons, with artistic names Reverend Run and DJ Run - MC (vocalist)
Discography
- Run DMC (1984)
- King of Rock (1985)
- Raising Hell (1986)
- Tougher Than Leather (1988)
- Back from Hell (1990)
- Down with the King (1993)
- Crown Royal (2001)
Filmography
- Krush Groove - (1985)
- Tougher Than Leather - (1988)