Run-D.M.C.

My name is Greg and I'm here to say / Run DMC's rhymes sound old and dated However important and influential it may be, this era in rap just sounds incredibly simplistic to my modern ears. "They walked so others could run", but they still walked. I'm glad I heard it once, but I'm not coming back to it.

Legendary. This is the album that started it all. When DMC broke big with this album, they threw the doors wide open for hip hop to step onto the main stage of American (and world) music. If, to the modern listener, it seems a bit hokey in delivery, it's worth remembering that this was a genre in its extreme nascency and it was still trying to figure out what it was supposed to sound like. So it borrowed from rock, techno, and R&B and then added that unique NYC hiphop flavor. The end result is a groundbreaking work stuffed full of powerful messaging, clever lyrics, and unapologetically fun beats.

I really enjoyed this but I'll be the first to admit that it is probably mostly nostalgia talking. The songs all sound basically the same and the beats, while unique, are pretty simplistic. I'd throw the whole album on anytime though.

extremely influential but also very outdated

When I first started this generator over a year ago, one of the very albums I rolled was Raising Hell by Run-D.M.C. I had never gotten into hip hop before, so as a prep to that one, I listened to their debut, this one. Since that, I've dug very deep into the hip hop world, from Biggie to Wu-Tang to Jay-Z and Kanye. But the weird thing is: I hadn't revisited Run-D.M.C since that first foray despite giving Raising Hell 5 stars as the perfect introduction to hip hop. (Hilariously sad I said in that review, "This a must-listen for sure and I'll keep going back to this one." Oh well.) Not just a perfect intro to me, but for the whole world. But this one is arguably more influential, being the first hip hop album with a more serious tone, a consistent vibe that people can say "wow, this is a hip hop album" on the same level as rock albums at the time. It's a fun and energetic album, with two excited MC's who can't help but divert your attention, joking with each other and finishing each other's sentences. It's an incredibly accessible album, with fun beats and a diverse style. "Hard Times" starts off with an intriguing hook to show their personality and what you're in store for. The production is immediately highlighted here. "Rock Box" pulls in pop and rock audiences with a hard, melodic sound easy to love. Isn't even their best rap rock song. Next two songs "Jam-Master Jay" and "Hollis Crew" are minimalistic, with punchy beats, highlighting their personalities and witty lyrics, with other cool production effects not necessarily relying on common old-school techniques. Personally my least favorite tracks though. The next track is where the album really picks up for me. "Sucker M.C.'s" is known as the first diss track, and has my favorite lyrics. Production-wise very similar to previous tracks and can be considered boring, but I love their performances here. But by far, "It's Like That" is the best track on the album, really loud and in-your-face with a progressive, serious message. Love the sense of urgency and call to action, and those snare drum solos gives us necessary space. I'm a huge fan of the production effects of "Wake Up", although it gets a bit tiring going on for so long. "30 Days" is a personal favorite, with an awesome sci-fi hook, funny verses, and the inviting line "YOU CAN SEND ME BACK IN 30 DAYS." Again drags on a little too long, but you notice this one less. Finally our closer "Jay's Game" is classic old school record scratching, a fun way to end things off but definitely overstays its welcome. Shouldn't have gone much over 2 minutes. Overall, I find this has many of the strengths of Raising Hell, and perhaps even more influential in establishing hip hop, but it's significantly weaker, especially on the production sound being too repetitive. Has lots of filler that could be dramatically cut short. I'd probably cut sick of playing this album more than a few times again, but I definitely need to play more of the highlights individually, and of course remind myself to put Raising Hell back in rotation.

Dang. This one kind of washed over me and I quickly grew tired of the you-say-one-word-then-I'll-say-the-next-word style that I 100% loved when I was a kid and sooo many rappers imitated. But it may also be that Raising Hell is simply a way better album than this; don't know, haven't listened to that in forever either. Regardless, respect to the legacy. Respect to the track suits.

Just not good.

Hip hop was a mistake. I can’t believe it got MORE popular after this boring album came out

There's no real way for a rap album from the mid-80s not to sound dated, very similar to the rock of the 50s. There were so many technological and methodological innovations in the years after this album that changed the sound of hip-hop forever. Despite being a time capsule, this album still has a lot going for it. The sparse 808-based samples work really well with the more aggressive lyrical style that Run-DMC brought to hip-hop. It's a nice compromise between the lighter rap style that was popular before this point and the ultra-violent content that existed during gangsta rap. I think of this album being a 4/5 mostly because of its importance as a turning point for hip-hop, but it still sounds good too, if not a bit limited by the sample set included in the 808 4/5

The way these dudes finish each other's sentences is adorable and demonstrates real chemistry. Reminds me of my grandparents. I give them 3 pairs of fresh Adidas kicks. 👟👟👟

I’m fucking old, so I remember when music like this was new, fresh and unlike anything people had really heard before. I’m sure if you were born after the 80’s and only knew hip-hop as an already established, immensely popular genre of popular music, you might not find this interesting or important or good. To me, this record is all of those things, but it might just be because I’m old.

Iconic, but a little repetitive

Old school run. Doesn't have quite the same bite

Good, definitely, but I guess I just don't get why it's great? Very fun though "Calvin Klein's no friend of mine Don't want nobody's name on my behind" is amazing

No. 87/1001 Hard Times 4/5 Rock Box 4/5 Jam-Master Jay 3/5 Hollis Crew 3/5 Sucker M.C.'s 3/5 It's Like That 3/5 Wake Up 3/5 30 Days 2/5 Jay's Game 2/5 Average: 3,0 Sounds pretty dated nowadays. Still okay to listen to.

Loving the rawness and simplicity of this album. Definitely had me dancing around the kitchen.

All hail the birth of the New School. It’s not my favourite Run-DMC disc, but goddamn this is gold. First hardcore rap track, first diss track, first rap-rock track… For a hip-hop head, this album is foundational. I wanted to give it 4 stars because it’s not my favourite, but is George Washington NOT great because he’s not your favourite president?! No.

I like the beat and lyrics.

Ah, my college years.

5-

To modern ears this album will sound dated but it is because of this album and what Run-D.M.C. helped usher in that we feel that way.

Cheesey in certain spots, but it'd be difficult to deny this still goes surprisingly hard. The lyrics can be a little basic, but they get a pass for the amount of passion and energy put into them. Favorite tracks: "30 Days", "It's Like That", "Hard Times"

Some pretty good tracks on here but their rhymes or maybe even just the vibe of this album feels a little repetitive but all in all still pretty fun. Rounding up from a 3.5 or like 3.25🤷

Awesome early (1st?) hip hop/rap album by the kings. Good stuff!

One of the most influential and prolific rap groups to come out of the 80s. Not my thing, but impossible to ignore.

"I'm light-skinned, I live in Queens, and I love eatin' chicken and collard greens." Damn...

Letkee ja päätä nytkyttävä. Toi piristystä työpäivään, joka on aina positiivista

It's like that, that's just the way it is

Rating: 7.5/10 Very good album overall. Really enjoyed most of the production, very sample heavy and fun to listen to. The flows, delivery, and lyrics are all outdated but the production and energy of the group makes this a very enjoyable listen from start to finish. Favorite songs: Hard Times, Rock Box, Jam-Master Jay, Sucker MC's, It's Like That, Jay's Game. Least favorite song: Wake Up.

Famosa: Walk This Way (feat. Aerosmith) Le daré un 4, aunque son un poco pesados.

Hip Hop it dont stop! This may have been ground breaking back in the day but I was more into Grand Master Flash or Afrika Bombaataa(Party People) then Public Enemy. I prefered the funkier sound of hip hop. I do think listening today this album comes across a bit dated obviously due to the technology available at the time. There is no doubt though that Jam Master Jay was a talented DJ and there is a few stand out tracks namely the singles Rock Box, Hard Time and of course Its Like That. Ground breaking but now in 2022 I dont think its timeless.

Thoughts before listening: I don't know what's on this album, but I'm sure it's going to be a fun listen. Run-DMC we're innovators in the hip hop scene and while their brand of rap is nearly archaic at this point, it's also a very classic, familiar sound. Review: This is great. It's definitely an early form of hip hop but I love Run-DMC's style. The rock backing tracks and the call and response raps with two distinct voices are now an iconic sound. This album is their debut and while they would release bigger songs later on, there are some classics on here with "It's Like That", "Rock Box", and "Sucker MCs". Those are going on the playlist and this album gets 4-stars.

Classic hip hop album, some great tunes on it. Really cool record, a bit of old-school throwback, always nice to listen to.

If it wasn’t for some of the dated production that was of its time, I think I might’ve rated this as a five. The songs still hold up (mostly), and Jay’s sparse beats and scratching work perfectly with Run & D.M.C.’s interconnected wordplay. It’s so solid, they basically laid the foundation for many of the rap cliches that survive to this day. Unlike being stale, here at its origins it comes off as fresh and creative.

Good classic rap album with solid beats and lyrics. Some rhyme schemes end unsatisfyingly but overall good listen. 4 stars.

Simple but effective.

This was a solid album. I liked Rock Box, and it’s cool to learn how it was such an influential song for the world of rap rock. I also think Run DMC probably was a big inspiration for the Beastie Boys, very similar vibes and the accented group shouts at the end of a sentence I’ll say 3.5, but bump it up to a 4 for its cultural impact

Kinda same-y but iconic and genre defining

This is my second and subsequently last Run-D.M.C. to review. I really enjoyed Raising Hell, so I had really high hopes for this album. Side 1 of this album was nothing short of fantastic. I loved the beats and backing music, the rapping was great, and the lyrics provided some really good social commentary. "Hard Times" and "Rock Box" were really great, and I can't imagine how game changing those songs must have been for popular music when this album came out. "Rock Box"'s guitar based sound is especially great, and Run-D.M.C. uses the sound perfectly to achieve something incredibly unique. Unfortunately, Side 2 wore a little thin on me. The songs were too long, and by this point in the album, Run-D.M.C.'s "you-go-I-go" rapping started to wear thin on me. By that point, it felt like the album was confined to a certain structure and formula, and the album started to suffer from those limitations. Even though Side 2 was a bit of a letdown, this was still a great album, and an incredibly influential one to boot. Run-D.M.C.'s sound on this album feels simple compared to a lot of hip hop music today, but the group does all of the fundamentals so well that their music is fun to listen to. The way that Run-D.M.C. perfectly balances the relationship between MC and DJ allows them to craft some great songs, and it makes their messaging even more effective and powerful. This is a must listen for any fan of popular music.

Love these drums. Clean and confident. That bass is so deep. And the snare hits! And the record scratches fit right in like another part of the percussion. Highlights: “Rock Box” - love that guitar riff “Hollis Crew (Krush-Groove 2)” - the drums hit hard on this one “It’s Like That” - I love the playful flow of the vocals. And the way they trade off back and forth every few words. So cool.

Obra fundamental de la música contemporánea: aquí se fusiona el Hip-Hop con el rap y con el hard rock, línea que también siguieron con éxito los Beastie Boys posteriormente (por no mencionar a Public Enemy, NWA y un interminable listado de bandas). Hard times. Rock box, It´s like that... no se puede uno permitir el lujo de no haberlos escuchado una vez en la vida. Run-DMC fue el primer grupo de hip hop en lograr un disco de platino, un multiplatino y una nominación a un Grammy. Fueron los primeros raperos en aparecer con un video en la cadena MTV (en 1984 con "Rock Box" incluída en este estupendo disco) y los primeros raperos en una portada de la revista Rolling Stone en 1987. Fueron también los primeros raperos que conocieron muchos estadounidenses,​ además de ser el primer grupo de música en estar patrocinados por una marca de ropa multinacional, Adidas, quienes posteriormente les crearía una línea de ropa exclusiva para elllos (ellos explotarían el tremendo hit My Adidas, su gran clásico junto con Walk this way, ninguno de ellos incluidos en este disco sino en en Raising Hell de 1986). Cualquiera de sus 3 primeros discos es igual de válido pero el impacto de este debut bien merece ser la puerta de entrada a RUN-DMC. Este disco está a la altura de otros debuts como los de The Smiths, Dead Can Dance, Nick Cave, LLoyd Cole and the Commotions, The Style Council y clásicos instantáneos como Purple Rain, Ocean Rain, Born in USA, 1984, Recknoning, Learning to Crawl, Ride the Lightning, Like a Virgin, Let it be, Zen Arcade, Knife, Diamond Life... o Deseo Carnal y Make it Big

One of the first, one of the best

First steps to fame. Excellent debut.

Listenable, with a couple of proper standouts - 'Rock Box' absolutely rips - but I'm too distracted by that nursery rhyme delivery particular to so much 1980s hip hop.

I was looking forward to listening to this but after doing so, like many other reviewers, I found the album to be quite pedestrian. I do understand how important this album is historically and for how it moved the hiphop genre past its disco inception. But still. Given what hip hop has become, the simplistic rapping, lyrics and beats just seem so hum drum to my modern ears. It kinda reminds me of pictures of people in the 50s gazing with wonder at the sight of a plane flying overhead. I totally get why they found it so impressive at the time, but of course, we are now so used to see planes overhead that we don't even notice them. I was considering four stars here given the importance of this album, but I think 4/5 stars should be reserved for music that stands the test of time - most of this album does not do so imo.

I like Run DMC but the raps and and breakdowns are a bit repetitive.

A fun listen, and something of an artifact from the origins of hip-hop. More than a little quaint now, though.

After listening to this, I want to buy an Adidas track suit.

Genre: East Coast Hip Hop 3/5 A true fossil of what would someday become the world's biggest genre of music, Run-D.M.C.'s self-titled debut album is one of hip-hop's earliest albums of note. Featuring a few hip-hop firsts, Rev Run and D.M.C. casually changed the face of the game in one fell swoop. Rock Box is considered to be the first fusion of rock and rap, and was the first rap song to be played on MTV, as its crossover appeal proved to be massive. It's Like That is also a track cited as a hip-hop firsts, this time being one of the genre's first true "hardcore" tracks, portraying a darker, less-mainstream take on the genre. However, as the tracklist progresses, the one big problem with this project is unfortunately how poorly it has aged. The beats and the bars sound corny and goofy as hell on a few of these. It's clearly primitive, and no one is expecting one of the first hip-hop classics to be perfect, but the overall unintentional silliness is too much to ignore. Overall, this is clearly an essential listen, but don't expect to hear polish. This is a rough draft that not only Run-D.M.C. would build upon, but an entire generation would build upon.

Sounds very dated now, but enjoyed this album. Hard Times is a classic, Rock Box signposts their later famous collaboration, and It's Like That is just great.

I like DMC but every song sounds the same

Hard Time - 7.5/10 Rock Box - 8/10 Jam-Master Jay - 7.5/10 Hollis Crew - 7.5/10 Sucker M.C's - 7.5/10 It's Like That - 8/10 Wake Up - 7/10 30 Days - 7/10 Jay's Game - 7/10 TOTAL - 63/90

1st May 2022 Listened on the drive back from camping with Joe and Adna. Chilled for the rest of the day. Thought I’d be all over this but felt a bit low key. Maybe I didn’t listen in the best of environments but felt like they had 1 backing track and rapped over it for half an hour.

okay.

Good

Old school hiphop

It be tricky... to rock and... to rhyme. Nice 80's rap start. Hard times, they like intertwining their lyrics between them lol. Hard times kinda sucks tbh. Rock-box is wayyy better kinda sick electric guitar. Jam was decent. Hollis crew is suppper bouncy 80's rap. Sucker's MC beat kinda stinky, but rap kinda good more relaxed. Dream was really good delivered in a slightly punishing way. Kinda punishing my ears now (2nd to last track). Ok that sound got old, light 3.

Another from Run. Like the other we got, this is obviously an important, foundational hip hop album. But it's old school to the point that I really don't get much enjoyment out of it. It's the building blocks of stuff I enjoy a lot more. I imagine people who hate old school hip hop hear all of it as stuff like this. I'm giving it a 3 out of respect, but I'm marking this as chopping block for the list too because I really don't think we need two Run-DMC albums, we get the gist in one. Same sort of rule should apply to the Beastie Boys. Favorite tracks: Rock Box, It's Like That. Album art: Two guys, brick wall, dope font. I like this cover a lot honestly. It's not much but it's strong. 3/5

This is pretty baseline Rap right? So like, I think the beats and Rhymes are super simple. But these were the dudes, who did it so everyone else could. So it gets points, there but It's still so dated it's kind of hilarious to listen to.

Crazy that this album came out 5 whole years after Rapper's Delight. It's Like That and 30 Days bumped it up from a 2.5 to 3 stars.

Another pretty dated hip-hop record - there’s some catchy stuff in there but the production and flows just sound pretty cheesy now (big ‘My name is Andy and I’m here to say…’ vibes). I hope Raising Hell is on here, because despite being only two years later it’s aged so much better and still packs a huge impact, definitely Run’s best work

I mean it’s 1984, it’s raw, it’s audibly simple compared to modern rap, but it’s good.

This was really fun to listen to at first. As the album progressed, though, I found myself getting kind of bored. 3/5

It’s like listening to the toddler version of rap, walking slowly, a little awkwardly, but holding their own. I kinda like that the rapping is slow enough that I can actually understand what they’re saying. I also like the raging against the racist machine rather than against warring factions in the same genre and among the same oppressed group—fighting the right enemy. Rap has not really been my thing but 80s/early 90s rap is as close as I get to liking it.

This album is so utterly peak 80s. It's not necessarily a bad thing - really kind of a testament to the record; being able to put this on and immediately be transported to middle school (wait...that's a terrible thing) The emergence of Run DMC was the first time a lot of suburban kids heard rap in the mainstream - there was a lot of predictable handwringing for various reasons (some you could guess) but it's just FUN music. "Rock Box" - fit right in with a lot of the early-mid 80s semi-cheesy-but-fun-for-its-own-sake rock music of the time. I like the retroactive simplicity of the beats and rapping - the interplay between Run and DMC is a huge plus. It's a fun listen and this is where so much of everything started - popular music would be completely different if Run DMC never existed. 7/10 3 stars

Absolute pioneers! These guys really were paramount in reshaping hip-hop, and infusing it with rock sounds, which is especially on display with the iconic track "Rock Box". I don't know the proper terms for these things, so I will just say that they make heavy use of the "call and response", "finish each other's sentences", and "you rap one word and then I rap one word" styles. The sparse rapping also gives ample opportunity for the fun beats to shine through. All are certainly products of the time, but enjoyable. This is fun and was truly groundbreaking, but it does understandably feel dated and basic by today's standards. Still, during this album's time, it's impossible to deny the effect and impact these guys had from this debut album.

Guter Hip Hop ohne Schnörkel

It is the early stuff for sure, so it does get a slight pass, but it is quite corny at bits. The first does not always mean the best.

memories but not my bag

2.5

Older/original hip hop groups do get tagged with sometime corny lyrics or just generally older styles/sample technology and I would generally associated this with Run-D.M.C. just because I only knew their Walk This Way cover. That being said, this album has a lot more interesting production/sampling choices than I expected. It definitely still feels like an 80's hip hop album but now I feel like Beastie Boys almost ripped these guys off to some level. There is such a focus on the actual rapping/beats more than melody/a catchy hook that this feels more like an oddity than I anticipated.

Auch wenn direkt aus den 80er und mit simplen Samples aus damaligen Synthies - die rockigen Gitarren und die wechselnden Rhymes machen es immer noch interessant.

This is a landmark album in hip hop with a lot of firsts for the genre. At times the album feels dated because of how far the genre has progressed since the release of this album.

Good stuff.

Solid, not my fav

Generous 3... very dated and repetitive but still a decent listen

Track 1: Very nice synth horn hits accompanying the beats. Need that dolla every day of the week. Nice very early use of drum machines which is sick. Flow is pretty 1 dimensional but lyrics are great yelling that they are having hard times. Track 2: Oh dang, cool guitar intro on the beat over the drum machine. Beat is really cool and complex. Love the switch to each different rapper. Nice scratching. The guitar accompanied with the lyrics are the highlights. Song drags on a bit at the end. Track 3: Oh dang I love Me some scratching turnstilism. The samples are sick with the horns. Run DMC lovestory to jam master jay I love it. Great use of the scratching as an individual instrument to solo on. Love it! Track 4: Great fast clapping beat. Got rhymes so deaf sheesh. Good flow on this song and nice switches back and forth to each MC. Beat at the end gets a bit old. Track 5: I like the beat but the claps are a bit much. Nice kind-of disstrack to other sucker MC's? Flow is eh on this as well. Track 6: oh I love this dancey beat with the bright horns. It's like that and that's the way it is. Beat is a bit repetitive, and I wish there was more instrumentation or sampling instead of just drums at times. Call and response is nice on this. I like the soft finish. Track 7: cool deep voice sample, and I like the little glockenspiel sound. Nice and popping. Love the MLK-esque message and commentary. Comments on a utopian vision but this was just a dream and real life is not like this. Track 8: oh man I love the midi type keyboard and synths; Makes the song a bit funky and Dancey. Nice fade and reverb on the keys part. Ending is repetitive but really let's you feel the beat. Track 9: oh man I love the samples and the scratching on this. The turntables are sick. Great beats and way to switch it up to not keep it the same. Once again basically solos on the turntable. Overall the album is very solid and extremely influential. At times some of the beats were one dimensional and the rapping was meh. I think jam master jay really shined on this album and showed his talents as a different type of producer. Run DMC walked so wu-tang could sprint.

Okay - felt like there were similar beats on every song

Revolutionary and sometimes ahead of the times. But the beats and rhymes can be a bit to similar and gets repetetive through a whole album.

it hasnt aged great, but thats because hiphop has evolved to such a great level in the years since this released. but it is refreshing to listen to something so simple and somewhat effective. but if you use this album as a basis to write off all hiphop, i will personally go to your house and punch you in the face.

Liked this a bit better than Raising Hell, probably because it sounds more "electro" and closer to Sugarhill stuff. Funny to think this was "hardcore rap" once upon a time, quite dull overall from a modern perspective

Some great stuff on here. Obviously very dated though

I actually missed listening to this album on the day it came up because I was at a conference where I got to see DMC talk about his rise to fame and the resulting mental health issues that he suffered. I'm glad I saw him speak before listening to this again. Hearing him talk about how this album came to be, what his life was like at the time, and how it changed him (and, arguably, music) forever really gives some context and credit to an album that could otherwise seem like a typical, cheesy, 80s rap album.

I found this to be super dated, especially compared to "Raising Hell" There's nothing bad about it, but it's not great either. Some albums you listen to and you can't believe what time period they were made in. This one, there is no way it was made anytime other than when it was.

Classic rap. This album is interesting when compared to modern albums. This is so measured and methodic with the delivery. You can definitely tell that rap has evolved since 1984.

A cool part of hip hop history, but saying that this hasn't aged the best is an understatement. The beats don't really hold up and some of the songs go on for way too long ("Wake Up" is the biggest offender, god damn that one got very annoying very fast). It's still pretty fun though. Just two guys being dudes.

The most important thing to consider whilst I listen to this, is whether it makes me want to eat a raw chicken carcass or not. I have to tell you, it not only makes me want to eat a raw chicken carcass, but it makes me want to eat a raw chicken carcass whilst smothering myself in bbq sauce and squealing like a pig. There isn't any higher praise.

For what it's worth I can see why this album would be influential to hip-hop and to a lesser degree rock/rap hybrids that were to come in the 90s. Half of the songs were enjoyable and fun while the the rest were annoying af. It's Like That, Hard Times and Rock Box were the best of the bunch.

Old school hip-hop. Not bad, and very important, but it's like listening to Rock Around the Clock for hip-hop. The genre has grown so much since then and my tastes are more toward early 90's alternative hip-hop like Tribe, De La Soul, Digable Planets, etc. but you've gotta start somewhere.

Respect for paving the way for a new genre of music but it got a little boring for me

Pioneers of the hip hop and rap genre, many artists owe them thanks for their contributions to music. I really liked the positive/uplifting message and subject matter of the lyrics. While the raps are a bit cheesy here and there, they are still meaningful and done with skillful flow. I'm not a huge fan of the beats. I'd listen to this album again.

Album 16 of 1001 Run-D.M.C. - Run-D.M.C. Favorite Track : Hollis Crew (Krush-Groove 2) Rating : 3 / 5 I appreciate it for what it is and the impact it had at the time of it's release. I've never been big on hip hop or rap, so this is not my regular thing. The words here are more important than the beats. I'm a music guy. I don't usually worry about lyrics until I'm into a song. My favorite songs are not because of the lyrics. The beats aren't my type of music but I'll give it it's due. I did listen twice.

Not sure how to rate as i understand this is an album that influenced the whole of rap, so its highly rated in that regard but as an album its self quite basic, im gonna rate based on how much id listen to it again sooo.

Way too much synthesizer drum machine for me

i get why this album is here but holy is it boring

3.4x enjoyable early hip hop, listened 2x

These guys are good, but I don't really like rap! 3 stars

déjà 250 albums........

Moins bien que Booba je trouve

It doesn't get much closer to the roots of rap than this album. This crew was taking all of the tools of the trade (i.e. scratching, sampling, synthesizers, drum machines, a live DJ doing the mix, and multiple emcees) and putting it to full effect. All of this is something we take for granted at this point, but these guys were quite literally figuring it all out as they went. What really sets Run-D.M.C apart from rappers of that time and since is their collaborative style, of passing the lines back and forth, and chorusing each other. The coordination and memorization involved to do this without breaking the flow is truly mind-boggling to me.