Run-D.M.C.

This record changed the world. I recognize this; I just don't really enjoy listening to it.

A classic

This album in particular--by one of the creators of what became Rap/Hip-hop, raises the question of do you rate based on historical importance, impact, etc., or on how much you actually like the music, today? This is a classic, important album, but I'm not sure it's stood the test of time. There's a couple tracks on here that will always be bangers at a party but otherwise I'm never likely to play this again.

When we were kids, I felt like Beastie Boys were state of the art. They were great — but for the most part, they in fact were not the bleeding edge. Licensed to Ill was essentially a ripoff of this seminal album. They leaned into Jazz and Punk after that (if anything, that part *was* bleeding edge), but then with Hello Nasty...it was right back to emulating this classic sound. 1984! This came out in 1984. Fucking prophetic. I love everything about it: the hair metal guitar, the campy synth splashes, the 808 beats. Hail to the kings.

3 stars. It's like that & that's the way it is.

A good album, I liked Hard Times and 30 Days the most.

Shit

It's an interesting album and one that is on this list for obvious reasons. One of the most influential and important rap albums of all time, and the first to really penetrate the main stream American conscious. It's a really interesting listen because there's a lot of rock influence in the songs - which I presume is the Rick Rubin influence but I'm too lazy to look up whether he produced this one. It's also interesting to hear the extent that the DJs were, at that time, the stars of the show. The rappers were kind of just there to showcase the DJ, who was the man the audience came to see. How far we've come. Ultimately, one of the greatest things about rap is that it is a perfect little time capsule of the era it's created in. Although that can lead to a healthy dose of nostalgia and admiration, it also means that rapp from certain eras can end up sounding cringey, corny, or just plain anachronistic. I respect the hell out of this album, but I don't think I can say I like it.

couldn’t get into it. 2.5

Ancient texts, hanging gardens of Babylon ahh rap album, the goats

Raising Hell is already on the list and I don't think Run DMC deserves a second album on there BE-CAUSE all of their songs JUST sound the same! And if you disa-GREE then you're PROB-AB-LY LAME!

Did Macklemore rip off Rock Box?

The rhythm and structure of the lyrics don’t age well, but some of those beats still funk me up. And It’s like that, and that’s the way it is.

Eyy Rock Box rocked

A good ride for a Tuesday listen

Maybe my expectations were too high or it just feels outdated but 🤷🏻‍♀️

Gotta give it up for Run-DMC. Where would we be without them? Nostalgic, positive, all around awesome. I do have to say that I don’t listen to a ton of this anymore, but this is the DNA of hip-hop. Essential listening.

Sounds dated.

So sweet and innocent! And I loved Rock Box.

Feels incredibly dated in 2025, which probably just means it was influential as shit.

proper solid rap album, think i prefer this to raising hell, this was more raw in my opinion, some great tunes

This is a fun time, but Raising Hell is better. A little simplistic but for early hip-hop it works. Kinda front-loaded too. Favorite songs were Hard Times, Rock Box, and It’s Like That.

Good

Energiek, vlot, innovatief, positief, tijdloos: jemig wat een lekkere muziek is dit. Als ik het zo zie, hebben deze luitjes heel wat mensen de weg gewezen. Wat weer resulteerde in een boel bozemenerenmuziek, maar hier hoor ik vooral de boodschap dat je gewoon voor jezelf op moet komen, en dan gaan met die banaan. Helemaal niks mis mee.

Bij het eerdere album van Run DMC heb ik ongeveer alles al gezegd. Dit album toont dat alles er al vanaf het begin in zat. Ik noemde onder andere de opvallend sterke samenwerkingsstijl. Het eerste nummer van dit album toont exemplarisch dat het bij Run DMC NIET erg is dat ze elkaars zinnen afmaken. Het nummer is ook exemplarisch voor de minimale begeleidende muziek. Het had een samenwerking met Kraftwerk kunnen zijn. Het heeft overigens nogal wat muzikale overeenkomsten met de grote hit op dit album: It's Like That. Nu we bij dat nummer zijn beland. Run DMC kreeg zoals eerder geschreven het label grondlegger van de hardcore rap. Maar deze hit klinkt niet alleen veel te toegankelijk om nu nog dat label op hen te plakken. Ook de tekst druist in tegen dit label. Het ging eigenlijk al tegen de hardcore rap in, terwijl het amper bestond. Als ik deze twee nummers eruit pik, lijkt het album eenzijdig. Daarmee doe ik het al snel te kort. De overkoepelende factor is wel het minimalisme, waardoor de aandacht flink naar de raps wordt getrokken. Maar het maakt nogal verschil of het minimale uit de Kraftwerk-achtige hoek komt, of vanuit een draaitafel, of vanuit een gitarist. Ook die crossover haalde ik al aan. De heren toonden op dit eerste album al aan dat rock en rap uitstekend samen kunnen gaan. Rock Box is één van mijn favoriete nummers op dit album.

Hiphop uit de 80s, dat is kale beats en veel geluidjes uit de computer. RunDMC mixt daar een vleugje rock bij. Blijkbaar waren ze pioniers daarin om rap en rock te mixen. En ik moet zeggen dat ik ze daar toch wel dankbaar voor ben. Veel nu-metal is daar misschien wel op gebaseerd en dat heb ik toch met veel plezier mogen luisteren destijds. Het stomme is, ik had Rock Box nog nooit eerder gehoord. We denken altijd aan Walk this Way met Aerosmith, maar dit nummer was dus veel eerder. En het klinkt bijna alsof Eddie van Halen of Brian May meedoet, met die scheurende gitaar erbij. Even kijken op de wiki wie dit inspeelt: Eddie Martinez. Nooit van gehoord, een sessiemuzikant, maar hij heeft wel veel van David Lee Roths soloalbums ingespeeld. De zanger van, jawel, van Halen! Nice! Qua hiphop kan ik die ouwe dingen wel beter waarderen dan de recentere. Al is dit soms heel erg kaal met alleen een beat en wat gescratch. Ik weet niet zo goed hoe kinderachtig de teksten zijn, maar ze waren wel heel erg bezig met hun kleding. Ze hebben eigenhandig een bepaald schoenenmerk groot gemaakt zo ongeveer. Dat uiterlijk vertoon heb ik nooit zoveel mee, dan heb ik bijna nog liever uit-het-raam-staar-zweverige teksten of teksten van Blof waar je niks van begrijpt. Qua muziek is het dus allemaal wat karig, wat moet je daar nu voor geven. Sterretje of 2. Het pionierende Rock Box is heel tof, dus dat verdient wel een extra ster. Krijgen ze 3 strepen van me, net als hun favoriete merk.

I'm too white to have an opinion on this.

Rad

beastie boys found bald and sobbing in fear

Nice

Simply classic

4/10

more junk

aged better than LL cool j, but worse than public enemy or the beastie boys. Not a bad album, and without it I think music in 2025 is drastically different, but it's not something I'm going to want to listen to frequently

Meh

Run DMC are legends and this album is certified 🔥🔥🔥🔥

Maybe important to history, but dated today

Very much 80s which wasn't a huge problem. Not my favorite though

Maybe it's part of my 80's nostalgia, but I enjoyed the album.

Every song here sounds like the DK Rap

Ah, the early days of rap. Cardboard box breakdancing, back spins and the worm! Setting the stage for the Walk This Way megahit.

I can't see the point but I see the attraction.

Some catchy vocals, and a step in the right direction, but doesn’t stand the test of time compared to the sound that followed it.

While previously I was not well versed in the art of rap, this album list has made me quite a connoisseur, and therefore I can state with fair confidence that this particular one is rubbish. Simplistic, full of itself, no interesting musicality in the backing track to speak of, not catchy, memorable or with anything interesting to say.

Nice! Meshed perfectly with my long walk. Would give it a 3.5!

I think this is just a bit too dated for me. The drum beats are very simple, and many sounded the same. At some points I was thinking I had listened to the song already. Rating this a 1 feels harsh, but I just don't think there was anything I really liked about it.

Mér fannst einfaldleikinn og beatin sjarmerandi en varð fljótt einhæft

Skemmtilegt (hallærislegt?) rapp. Samt ekkert sem ég er einstaklega hrifinn af.

These super old school rap are fun but get repetitive quite quickly 6/10

Great album. Iconic!

Sounds like kids rap

It does sound like a very 1984 album. My big moan is that it's very repetitive. It sounds like they were an important influence for those who followed, but it's not a genre i get into.

Gee 1984 was a great year! I mostly enjoyed this, its maybe a tad repetitive and a bit slow, but its really important in the history of the genre and given the technology used at the time to put these tracks together its pretty interesting.

As I’m going through all these albums, I’m discovering that I like rap and hip hop from the 80’s and early 90’s more than I would have ever liked to admit. Here’s another example. I dig it! 4/5

It is essentially one long song withe same beat and rap style. So cute that they finish each other’s sentences. As an isolated song it is dated 80s rap. As an album it is insanity. 4/10

The guitars on the second track, Rock Box, are great and kind of unexpected. There's nothing new I can add to the convo. The beats are simple, the rhymes are basic and it all sounds kind of the same. But you'd be hard pressed to not at least somewhat enjoy, It's Like That. But I gotta say, I prefer that remix of it by Jason Nevins from 1997. On the whole, I get why this is so important.

So I'm gonna give it a 3 because I'd rather listen to it than popular rap these days but it like uh.. does often sound the same throughout

Hard but oddly motivational

not my style

Well, somehow I misread the information on Raising Hell and mentioned it being their debut. Mea Culpa. The Generator is here to correct me within two days, by giving me their real debut album. Also since notes are unchangeable, my mistake will be on this site till the end of the internet. Now for my thoughts on Run-D.M.C. real debut. It's quite good. Obviously getting two albums from the same artist in such a short time makes for an easier comparison. And this album's rating will suffer from being less good than Raising Hell. But that doesn't mean the album is bad. It has a some bangers on it and is overall a great tasty snack before the dinner to come. An Amuse-bouche as one could say.

A groundbreaking album at the time, but hearing it back now it does come off as a bit simplistic and repetitive in terms of beats/sampling. Lyrics can be corny too, but interesting cross-over. Fave tracks are "It's like that" and "Hard times"

Everything on here sounds so similar and the production seems so sparse, minimal and kind of flat like an album of foundations that needed more to be added to them. I was bored.

*1984. *This sounded like such an early prototype for hip-hop. *Most of the songs sounded the same - I didn't realize when the album had started over. RATING - 5.5/10

It's weird to listen to this album today, forty years later. Hip hop has come so far that this sounds kind of simplistic and slow but at the time is was super cool and ground breaking. Someone had to start it up. I'm listening to the highlights again now as I'm writing this and the beats and pacing of the lyrics seem crazy slow. It's really interesting to hear how things have changed.

It doesn’t care if you like it. It dares you not to. The production is skeletal (just drum machines, scratches, and a handful of riffs), but the confidence fills the empty space like thunder. This wasn’t just rap—it was a new era, and you can hear the door being kicked in on every track. Rating: 4.5/5 Short Review: Hip-hop growing teeth, spitting bars, and stomping in Adidas with zero apologies. Favorite Track: “It’s Like That” — the manifesto. Cold, direct, and still feels urgent.

I am going to listen to this again so it may get a higher rating, but as someone who doesn't listen to a lot of rap I really liked this. I have read that this debut album showcased a more hardcore rap, so I am surprised by why I enjoyed it so much. The reason is two fold, first: no samples, which I always find annoying, not so much if you do it in one song but if all of your tracks use tunes from others I am not going to rate it highly. Secondly the guitars - those guitar solos had me at hello.

Before I started the 1001 journey, I had a couple of songs from this album on a playlist somewhere. It's Run DMC. I'm an ex-teen of the 80s. I like it.

Yell rap. Didn't like.

extremamente bom, além de que uma me lembrou de todo mundo odeia o Chris, absurdamente nostálgico

Heck yeah. Kicking the door wide open. Jam-Master Jay is where it's at. Early in the genre and widely influential. All your favorite Hop Hop artists borrowed liberally from these guys.. Just like 50's Rock and Roll music, it's rudimentary compared to what it has become, but it's absolutely essential listening.

Rough around the edges but cool approach.

Promising start but all of the songs kind of sound the same

One of the first albums I bought with my own money was "A Salt with a Deadly Pepa" and I listened to it endlessly. Lots of similar vibes here. Love the simple production, the big drums, the clever lyrics.

21/09/2025 This was really disappointing, I expected so much more. Spotify listeners: 4.8 million

I was expecting to like this but it didn't quite live up to my expectations. I like the rapping and they sound good together. The lyrics are good, marking hip hop's development as protest music, and there are a few highlights (Rock Box was a new song to me). I'm not a fan of the tinny, drum machine beats though, and in some parts there's not much else happening. Not bad but not great either

Quite enjoyed this but did find that the songs all sounded similar

god what a boring album?

Ok… but all the songs do sound like they came from same Casio keyboard.

Easily one of the most important albums in one of my favourite genres. Understandably dated, of course, it's over 40 years old? There weren't many rap groups around and sonically very little options were available to two MCs and one DJ to create varied production. It's vital, witty and brilliant so it gets a 5.

3 out of 5. Enjoyable listen, and I'm starting to appreciate Run D.M.C. the more albums I hear from them.

Hard to argue against such a legendary group. The sort of style of finishing eachothers bars did wear on me a little as the album went on but I think as pioneers or what would become a global genre gotta give credit where credit is due. To make something like this without a real blueprint is inspiring to say the least.

really slow and dull and the call response thing is annoying

This album feels like it has something missing, and just feels overall slightly corny. Their style is definitely improved on raising hell, thankfully.

Kind of fun, but not my usual type of music.

Classic hip-hop golden age album (and arguably the one that kicked off the golden age). Still holds up pretty well.

Solid. Bold. Fresh.

This is such a wildly important album for both hip hop and modern music at large that it really can't be overstated. Let's get the elephant in the room out of the way: this sounds like a hip hop album from 1984. So yeah, it sounds old, and it sounds clunky at times, but I can pretty much guarantee I didn't need to tell you that. Even if you go a year or two later, you get music that sounds way more modern, but it's because of albums like Run-D.M.C.'s self-titled that we got that music. And honestly, if you go a year or two earlier, you get hip hop that sounds *so* much clunkier. And honestly, despite the age, I actually like this quite a bit. McDaniels and Simmons have some really cool synergy. And through the somewhat dated rapping, you can still very much tell that both men were incredibly skilled at the art-form. And Jam Master Jay's production can be similarly dated, but there are still plenty of cool grooves here. I also need to acknowledge that people were still figuring hip hop out here: upon doing research, this is really an album of firsts. I've seen people cite It's Like That as the first hardcore hip hop song, Sucker M.C.'s as one of the first diss tracks, and Rock Box as the first rap rock song. These are also among the best songs here. It's Like That is almost an incredibly early example of conscious hip hop. Although Rock Box may be my favorite here: Eddie Martinez's hair metal guitar works surprisingly well here, and McDaniels and Simmons are at their most locked in, the flow is actually really cool. Additionally, I've heard arguments that this song had a big hand in tearing down the barriers between rock and hip hop, giving us future Run DMC songs, and resulting in other very influential artists like the Beastie Boys. I'd also like to shout out Wake Up, with it's very hopeful lyrics. While this album wears it's age on it's sleeve, I still find it very enjoyable, and it's role in music history can *not* be denied.

Bit more relatable than the more gangsta stuff and quite whitty in places but this genre is definitely not for me

Listening in 2025 this sounds very safe and tame compared to what came after. It really isn’t very exciting, the beats are bland but the rapping and flow is solid, it’s just very dated and not my bag in general. Not rubbish, but not good.

Influential but doesn’t hold up over time. Outdated rhymes and beats. Not bad, just lacks something. 3/5 Probably won’t listen again

I can appreciate how influential this group is and the talent of their rapping abilities but the production on this thing has aged like milk.

I love hip hop, but there is just something so annoying about the early days of rap. Maybe it’s the flow, maybe it’s the beats, maybe it’s that it sounds kinda gimmicky, but the golden age of hip hop can’t come soon enough for the mid 80s. Not a bad listen, not a great listen either.

It's outdated of course but loved it. Hip hop was a blank canvas so rhyming "girl" with "world" or "here" with "there" was still fresh and possible. There are way better hip hop albums imo but this had a few things going... new tech using beat machines like the Roland 808 similar to Kraftwerk & Gary Numan etc. A genre defining sound & one of the first classic hip hop albums.. This is one of the most sampled albums of all time I'm guessing too.

Enjoyed this

Iconic but really doesn't age well.

Old school hip hop

They walked before they could run on several songs but still enjoyable.

classic hip hop album but not quite my style. a little to early for my taste but a monumental album for sure. 4/10

Influenced heavily by Grandmaster F&TF5, but less interesting

Great lyrics and there are moments where I really dig it, but overall it’s just not really my jam

This is the the same song like 12 times.

3/10

Classic old school rap not my thing understand the appeal though 4/10 overall

Another one of those albums where I’m sure when it came out, people thought they were hearing alien noises and freaked out. Years later (besides a few standouts), it sounds dated and doesn’t offer up much to make for a 39 minute record. “Well, I’m a peanut bar and I’m here to say: your checks will arrive on another day” (5/10, 2/5 on this scale)

Too samey

Good fun

Rock Box is a cracker

Solid hip hop slice, ahead of it's time. Rock Box is a clinker

A bit of the same but fun and short

Decent enough but very dated now. Their style is quite hard going after a few songs. Imagine my delight at listening to the extended edition album.

Really rather dull

A difficult one to rate for sure. The album and Run DMC have significant influence into how modern Hip Hop and Rap has been shaped (along with the creation of rap rock), however the album itself doesn't have many highlights and a simple beat in each song. Rock Box is the standout for sure, the influence in creating and inspiring Rap Rock is of course important, however it is also just a really good song. I will go for 3 stars on balance.

I think Run DMC benefit from a collaboration. As influential as it may have been, I am glad hip hop has progressed from this.

if there’s one thing i’ve learned from this project is that 80s rap > 90s rap

Dated? Yes. But you got to respect the classics.

Best Song: Sucker MCs This was good. It showed what was to come, which was arguably one of the most influential artists in hip hop. 4/5.

Hell Yeah!

2.5

This flavor of hip hop is not really my jam (ie Beastie Boys-esque) but I guess I really mean DMC-esque because they were the ones to do it first.

I don’t like to use the term dated. Everything is dated. But hip-hop for sure doesn’t sound like this any more. Which is a shame. 

No mention of fucking hoes, and shooting niggas, and Oh I’m so oppressed. And it’s all the better for it. Found it got a bit repetitive at times, but I’d listen to it again.

Pas mon truc

Great album!

The first two tracks were decent so I was excited for the rest of the songs until they came on — it mostly seemed like repetitive drones. Not for me, even with an intriguing surround sound mix on Apple Music, and weirdly, their only album in surround.

Early tracks felt ahead of their time, i just wish some were less sparse. Made the whole album feel longer.

Seems very repetitive, probably a ground breaking album when it came out but doesn't do it for me. It's like that is only song that carries its weight

They're good lads. Does sound very dated now and the 'melody' gets very repetitive, but I like it and appreciate it's importance.

Not for me but respect

Feels like there isn’t much rhythm and a bit too much emphasis on the words that do rhyme

Just not for me.

Honestly, I think this album and Raising Hell are probably in a dead heat, objectively speaking. Both hugely influential, both very good albums at a time when rap was not an album genre. But where I erred on the side of caution before and rounded Raising Hell up from a 4.5 to a 5, I think, because I just don't have the same fondness for it, I have to round the self-titled down to a 4. Still tremendous, though. Rock Box and Sucker MC's have aged like fine wine. Loud, brash, potent fine wine. So probably more of a red than a white.

Old school

This is just friggin’ awesome

The actual rap is pretty bad tbh. Lyrics are super basic and a bit corny. Maybe these were hard hitting truths back in the day? Liked: 30 Days

ekki sjarmalaust en mjög fornt bæði hvað varðar flæði og takta. þarf ekki meira.

Way ahead of the curve, rhymes written by ChatGPT long before ChatGPT... And God damnit, use the snare, it helps with the groove, really... Influential for sure with some fresh ideas, but other who came after did it better...

Just a little less refined than their later work, but the content is still incredibly relevant today and the production is only slightly dated. Listened to: at work. Favorite track: Jam-Master Jay, It's Like That

Top

I know it is the start of hip hop as we know so I respect that, I just prefer modern hip hop

Enjoyed this album. Always wonder what I would have thought at the time it came out. It wasn't in my musical interests at the time.

I like it. Oldschool, often minimalistic beats made only with percussion. The lyrics a sometimes a little childish, ironic but the things you hear in newer rap songs are already here. Fav: It's like that

Nope. Not for me. This is not singing and that is playing same pounding notes.

+: Jam-Master Jay, Sucker M.C.'s (Krush-Groove 1), 30 Days, Jay's Game +-: Hollis Crew (Krush-Groove 2), It's Like That, Wake Up -: Hard Times, Rock Box 3,2/10

It's amazing to think how far the peopel following in the path Run DMC forged got and how far the genre eclipses it's origins. This is hard to hear this as anything other than a fossil, an indicataive artifact of a moment in the evolution of sound and style where the core features are all there in elemental form that would be iterate and florish as it proliferates. The rigid staccato quarter note flow gets very grating quickly and the scatchy casio keyboard beats are iconic but repetitive. The corny metal samples on Rock Box and the synth sounds on 30 Days and lots of other tracks are great though. But still, there's an unmissable charisma to it, all playful bravado and lyrical charisma - and their relentless abuse of that sorriest of species, sucka MCs, is very funny.

Endearingly primitive in its sound. Not a ton to take away in 2025 but well worth the history lesson.

I wouldn't know good hip hop from bad, but either way I don't like it.

This is the hundred ninety fourth album I’m rating. I listened to Raising Hell and they’re kinda overrated. Adding to my Playlist - Nothing. Not Adding to my Playlist - Hard Times, Rock Box, Jam-Master Jay, Hollis Crew (Krush-Groove 2), Sucker M.C.’s (Krush-Groove 1), It’s Like That, 30 Days, and Jay’s Game. All in all I liked 0/9 songs. This sucks. The 80’s were truly the worst decade for anything remotely artistic.

punk af

Totally understand why this album is included on this list as it's a historic example of early rap. However, I don't really like it. The backing beats are simple and the raps just kind of feel like someone shouting at you the whole time (ala Beastie Boys flow). Glad the genre progressed as this just seems altogether outdated. 4.5/10 (2.25/5)

Torture is better that this 1/10

Liked it more than I expected. Not a fan of the finish each other sentences style, but it wasn't terribly annoying with this album. Good beats, and pretty clear lyrics. The song about dreaming, with the constant "wake up" I can't get out of my head.

An enjoyable album with great classic jams that are balanced well by old school hip hop feel and the true of innovators of hip hop before everyone settled on their vibe and hip hop became stale with the cliches we are stuck with today. There is a reason that this was the first hip hop album to be certified Gold (500,000 sales) in the U.S. The album still drags with the typically boring MC braggadocio that leads to boredom during tracks 3-5 and 8-9. While I didn't add any tracks, its place in music history guarantees a spot on this list. Although I would argue that RAISING HELL really changed the game for all of the music industry. That is when everyone, including me, learned how hip hop and rock could co-exist.

Hard times, it’s like that var bäst. Generellt lite enformiga och för långa låtar

wack

Not as good as I was hoping for but still enjoyable.

Classic but dated? Feel like the beats and flow are all so similar song to song. Idk if this came out now if it would get the same hype. Still huge for its time

3/10 This album really shows its age, but also suffers massively, to my ears, from the fact that it’s so threadbare in terms of actual musical content and rhythmic variety. Obviously, I’m assessing this 40 years after the fact. This is an artefact from the early days of hip-hop, and there are 40 years of developments that I’ve borne witness to in the intervening years, so it’ of course going to sound dated, but what really surprised me is how much of it was little more than a drum beat with rapping in some fairly routine (and endlessly repeated) rhythms over the top. They don’t really mix things up from track to track, and the only one which really had much interest to it was Rock Box, when they actually had some musical content on the track courtesy of the guitar playing. It’s Like That stood out, at least in part due to it being so well known, but it does feel slow when I’m more familiar with the Jason Nevins mix. With that all being said, this is a hard one to rate. Historically it’s massively important. It was the first real breakthrough rap album, and paved the way for so much great music to come, but it just sounds so thin and stale that it’s hard to look back on it with much fondness aside from the nostalgic and historic angles. Within the subsequent 5 years, you’d have Public Enemy, Beastie Boys, De La Soul, N.W.A., Erik B. & Rakim and a whole lot of other artists that were just doing this so much better, with so much more of a developed and interesting sound. Extra points for historical importance, but I won’t be hurrying back down Run-D.M.C. Avenue. Hard Times - It’s obviously very 80s, but it’s also incredibly sparse. That orchestra hit and a single note bass line is the only harmonic content in the song at all. They do add some melodic inflection to their rapping, but not a vast amount. The drums are actually quite interesting to be fair, but together with the vocal delivery it’s all a bit stilted and staccato. Despite all that, I actually quite enjoyed it. Rock Box - So they were blending rock with rap from the very beginning. This At least had something other than the absolute barebones that was present in Hard Times. It’s got a bit of variety to it and it’s got some decent momentum to it too. Again, it’s aged quite a lot, but probably less than the opener. I can imagine this was pretty fresh at the time, and it’s still not bad. Jam-Master Jay - Compared to the tightens of modern scratch DJs, Jam-Master Jay is pretty loose and basic. Another track with barely any harmonic content at all. It’s very repetitive and the DJing is also not very good. Hollis Crew (Krush-Groove 2) - Another track, another lack of harmonic content. The rapping is a bit better here, but it’s still pretty dated and there’s just not enough going on to hold the interest. Sucker M.C.’s - Apparently one of the first diss tracks. But it’s got quite a boring beat, and again, it’s just a beat with some rapping and a few scratches on it. No variety in the rapping rhythms here either. Pretty boring. It’s Like That - This is obviously a classic, but for my generation, it’s probably more famous for the Jason Nevins remix, which has more pace and a much stronger and more driving beat. This, by comparison, feels fairly pedestrian. As a song, the structure is better than some of the others on the album, and there’s a bit more audio interest, but it’s not exactly musically rich. Wake Up - There’s at least some effort to add something more varied here with the sound effects in the chorus, but it’s hardly hooky. That rotating of the vocal parts (also present elsewhere) sounds so dated these days. There’s just not enough here to really grab me and it just goes on and on. 30 Days - Wow, a bassline that isn’t just a single note! It’s even got a synth chord! Those little bits aside, this is still pretty uninteresting. It’s definitely an improvement over some of the more barebones tracks on the album, but it’s still a bit sparse and pedestrian, and all of the rapping of the whole album is very samey and lacking in rhythmic variation. Jay’s Game - Similarly to the rest of the album, there’s not too much to write home about here. Some of the scratching is a bit better, but it’s still all a bit stale.

Totally recognize and appreciate the foundation that old hip hop set, but it is not for me. Boring lyrics, boring backing track, boring delivery

Old skool hiphop. I kind of like this stuff, but today just wasnt the day for this.

Weirdly amusing on its raw power. Not my cup of tea but album tickles some undefined point in me. Amusement, humour or something like that...

I honestly have no idea how I had the stamina to listen to this album more than once back in the day. I mean, that was like 30 years ago, so maybe I was just more into it then. Listening to it now was kind of a struggle — I barely made it through once. Hip hop has come a long way since those early days, and honestly, I think it’s changed for the better. But hey, someone had to be the first to do it, and you’ve got to respect that.

At this point hip hop is so new that they don't really have "songs" per say. Feels to me like they were trying to emulate the block party back and forth with the audience vibe on to a record. It's a very strenuous listen.

This is another debut album. Even though this is a hip hop album, I was impressed by the lyrics. Typically hip hop lyrics are all about guns, drugs, killing cops, etc., but this album was clean with interesting upbeat lyrics. There is very little music in the background, but somehow it works well. I think this is the best hip hop album we’ve heard so far.

I have a fondness for Run DMC just because I watched a lot of vh1 countdowns and I-Love-The shows, and inevitably they all talked about how Run DMC started hip hop. (Seems a bit of an oversimplification, in retrospect, but hey, I wasn't there.) My vh1 recollection is basically like: "OK, so music was invented by Michael Jackson, Queen, Run DMC, and Madonna. The end." Oh, we had another Run DMC album 150 albums ago and I said the same thing. Time is a flat circle. Anyway, this is good. The rhythm/stress pattern is so consistent that it's kind of like the album is all one big song ("my name's aMANda and i'm HERE to SAY, i'm likin' this ALbum in a MAjor way"). No slurs! I arbitrarily decided that 4 is for albums I'd listen to in my spare time, which is apparently a pretty high bar, but among 3s, this is one of the 3s-I-like and not one of the 3s-I-don't-dislike. It's tricky to sort a disc, to sort a disc that's just like this, it's tricky :( Highlight: 'Sucker M.C.'s (Krush-Groove 1)' (it unlocked a core memory for me of the rhythm game(?) in Sega's Toejam and Earl 2, which I was terrible at but liked a lot), 'Wake Up' (nice dream. presumably "we weren't afraid to show our faces / it was cool to chill in foreign places" was meant about race, but now it applies even more broadly 😔) Lowlight: 'Jay's Game' (the only break in the long song -- I also hate these short repeated loops (IDK if there's a DJ name for this thing); I think it's one reason I dislike Missy Elliott['s songs] actually)

Wow, going in I thought I would like this album given Run DMC's place in hip-hop history. I found most of the songs sounded very similar to each other, the notable exception being Rock Box with that awesome guitar riff. I guess they walked so others could run, but listening to them walk isn't something I'll choose to do again.

I kno its old school, but ive heard good old school

Now I'm no prude or snowflake, and I don't mind at all about all the f-bombs liberally scattered throughout the music of the 2020s, but it is really refreshing to listen to rap artists who feel no need to swear their way to stardom. That said, I don't think this album is as good as "Raising Hell", but, of course, this is their debut effort, so perhaps excellence should not be expected. It's definitely good enough for four stars though.

Entertaining. One of those works that make you feel energized and optimistic. Today -2025- might not come across as a great thing, but back on its release date, it must have been revolutionary.

I was enjoying this but it did can a bit samey about half way through them came good again at the end. Refreshing was the total absence of bitches, niggas and requests to suck their dicks!

like this more than most oldschool hip hop (which i like anyway)

3.5 stars - I liked the lyrics to several of the songs, but overall the album felt a bit repetitive in its sound.

I'm sure Michelangelo had some sick finger paintings too. Why would anyone listen to this when Raising Hell(⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐exists?

Feels a bit lacking, but then you realize it came out the same year as Ghostbusters. Worth listening to just to see how far the genre has come and in such a relatively short amount of time.

Not my jam

Need more guitars in rap music

Possibly in danger of like some of the tracks were going to roll into - It’s like that but enjoyed it. Very influential group

Ok so some of this feels a bit dated but it’s still pretty good. Rock Box is the stand out track, possibly because it’s the one that sounds different from the rest, a lot of which all sound quite similar.

Early hip hop that whilst basic seems more accessible that than what the genre has morphed into. I liked some of it, but was a bit samey.

Ah, the true masters of going ‘huh’ to end a chorus. Minimalistic beats and some rudimentary sampling. Actually it’s quite catchy.

Even though I dont really care for it, I understand Run DMC's importance to hiphop as a whole. Its a fun time capsule of an album. I cant listen to this without getting the DK rap song stuck in my head though 😂

Very cool and influential

Good! You can hear it echoed down through the years.

1. hard - 1 2. rock - 1 3. jam - 1.5 4. creuu - 1 5. zucker - 1 6. that - 1 7. uuake - 1 8. dayz - 1.5 9. game - 1.5

I don't don't like it

Pretty good

I needed this today. So fucking good. The rhymes are on point, the beats are timeless and the songs are so catchy. Run DMC is like AC/DC - if you don't love them I don't trust you.

It is interesting to compare this to all the diversity of sound, speed and style in hip hop now. Legends if course

So sparse and pointed! Really great and hasn't aged! :)

Decent classic hiphop nothing really stood out to me though

Ritme increïble, impossible no moure's. Preferides "Hard Times","Rock box", i "Hollis Crew" la resta se'm fan un pèl pesades (segurament perquè no estic acostumat a escoltar aquest tipus de música.)

Fantastic timeless rap/rock fusion album.

Pretty good early hip hop. Enjoyable.

No standouts, but not bad, just nothing special

They get better, but this is a groundbreaker

It’s decent but I prefer the other Run DMC album on the list 3/5

It was a blast listening to this while getting ready! I liked the lyrics and beat. It kind of felt like it shouldn't work but it did?

Pioneers of rock rap

I never cared for this sort of back-and-forth style of rapping. I can see where the genre was still developing here, especially in the diss track, but this album doesn't work for me. "Rock Box" is pretty great, though.

8/10 Favorites: Rock Box, Wake Up, 30 Days

I mean it definitely changed the game, but it feels outdated nowadays. 56/100

it's a one time offer for nothing at all

Let's say 3/5

i like the topics and ideas especially in the second half of the album but the beats are all very similar and minimalistic which i know is the essence of this album but makes the tracks feel longer than they are for me personally.

Easy to listen to. Surprisingly good

They are hip hop pioneers, but it's sooo dated. For 1984, this was probably groundbreaking, but it didn't age well at all. I'll give it 3 stars because they were very influential.

Thought I would like this but nah-so-much

30 Days did not need to be that long, but I liked the 80s vibes

Eh… this just isn’t the pinnacle of RUN-D.M.C. music to me. I think being a rap fan now make it’s difficult for me to really enjoy the lyrics and style of this era and this kind of album feels dated and dull.

I enjoyed a few songs on this album. Although, while I appreciate their impact on hip hop, Run DMC has never been one of my favorites.

I’m sure this was a pinnacle moment in hip hop but all I can think about while listening to this is 90s sitcom dads doing bad raps and this is what they sound like.

i love it when they alternate words between the two of them it’s so much fun

Seems funny that back in the day this seemed hard core. Now, with no disrespect, it feels cute in the way that some old people are cute

Got major Beastie Boys vibes, and it turns out that after a quick search: Run-D.M.C. DID influence them! In fact, Run-D.M.C. helped create Paul Revere on Licensed to Ill. Neat!! I also really like how they alternate saying things. It is done very well here

Excellent Album!!! Ground breaking!!

This sounds exactly as old as it is

84 ja noi sähkökitarat taustalla?! Aika kova. Mutta miksi he on kaukana mikeistä? Vuorotellen sanotuista sanoista tulee myös vähän koomikkoduo-olo. Mut kai se on vain hyvä.

Not a fan but I don't hate it either. 3 stars or C-.

Simple in some ways compared to modern hip-hop, but you can hear the ground breaking bits even today. A bit heavy on the drum-track clicking sometimes.

An important historical document, yes….but maybe not a fun listen. That doesn’t mean it’s not an important listen, though! There’s a couple things that I really latch onto with Run-D.M.C’s debut. Mainly, it’s “Rock Box” and “It’s Like That.” The former’s use of guitar samples is important for the rest of Run-D.M.C.’s career, but also feels very fresh, even today; the latter is just a solid ‘80s rap song, with very distinct and infectious flows that proved influential for the time. I also think Jam Master Jay’s 2 ✨producer tracks✨are fun, if cheesy and dated. I’ll also be honest, “Hard Times” hit me in the face with those 808 cymbal hits, and kind of won me over, and I think “Sucker M.C.’s” flow is important listening for any hip-hop fan. But all that is forced praise. The production on here is *very* dated, with basic 808 drum patterns with little variety, and really weak DJing to add any flair. Meanwhile, the rapping is….laughable now. It is very “Hat Store” [see: Donald Glover]. I think when Run & D.M.C. trade bars, the spark is there, but the rhymes themselves are really, really, really lame. I think this is especially insufferable on “Wake Up,” which is preachy while also feeling like it was written by a 10 year old. The rest of the record is on the same level lyrically. Now, your tolerance to sit through these things may depend on your general tolerance for old-school hip-hop. I have a mild tolerance, so I could hang my hat on enough traits here to just shrug my shoulders and move on. And again, sometimes, historical value does matter more. But I know I’m never going to listen to this again. I’m not even going to listen to the best moments. And that’s because literally the following 3 Run-D.M.C. albums are more important– and more listenable– than this. But it is first in a lot of ways, or at very least, an early synthesis of all hip-hop was building up to at the time. And maybe that should count for something, even if the music is lame and dated in 2025.

Cover 6 Some fun songs. Not King of Rock but good.

3 stars! I definitely remembered how much I liked some of these songs. But I wouldn't revisit it because it definitely feels dated.

A trademark sound. Great vibe. Tempo starts to drag a wee bit after a while.

I can absolutely see why this album mattered. It’s got that no-frills, stripped-back style that clearly kicked a door open somewhere in hip-hop’s early years. The beats are raw and punchy, the rhymes barked rather than delivered, and there’s a sort of punk energy in how aggressive and minimal the whole thing feels. It’s practically anti-funk in places, just hard-edged rhythm and shouty declarations, and I get how that must’ve felt like a shock to the system back then. This is the blueprint, and you can hear echoes of it in about a hundred other albums that came after. That said, for me, it was more interesting than enjoyable. Once the initial thrill of the sound wore off, I started noticing how repetitive it all was. The flows barely change, the beats loop endlessly, and the lyrical content often just feels like variations on the same theme. It’s not bad exactly — there’s a charm in its confidence — but I did find myself zoning out a few tracks in. Songs like Hard Times and It’s Like That still pack a punch, and I liked Rock Box for throwing in that guitar riff out of nowhere, but most of the rest felt like filler to me. I’m glad I listened to it, if only to hear where so much of what came later started, but it’s not something I’m likely to revisit often. I respect it more than I love it, and I think unless you’ve got a real nostalgia for early 80s hip-hop or a deep interest in the genre’s history, it might feel a bit like homework. Interesting homework, but still homework.

..

Dated but historic.

The O.G. album that is as pivotable today as it was upon release.

- just the worst shit. i'm so glad rap isnt still like this

Classic but not my bag

Like it. Favourite track is Sucker MCs 3/5

Favorite track: jam master jay. Overall score 4,6/10.

I remember when this came out in 1984, and 40 years later I still don’t care for it. I kind of thought their song “It’s Tricky” was catchy but that’s not on this album. Besides, I can never forgive Run-D.M.C. for reviving Aerosmith’s career with that “Walk This Way” debacle – it’s their fault we got “Janie’s Got a Gun” and I will never get over it.

Really like their style of rap. Great tunes

I thought this lot would probably turn up. In the 1980s it would have been a 1 for me and without the internet to educate me about the band name, I called them Run Dumps. Just about a 2 now as it has fewer obnoxious sounds than many of its successors.

It's hard to listen to this in 2025 and imagine this as being ground breaking and new. The beats and rhymes sound so dated and twee, but you cannot underestimate the group's influence.

the beats are basically all the same in terms of effect but impressively different and wildly creative in terms of actual individual elements...some heavier, some more minimal, but always impressively matching run and d's chemistry which tbh if we're being real might still be completely unmatched...listening to these guys is the hip hop equivalent of jawdropping prog rock guitar interplay, still so exciting and fun. it is not the most diverse record in the universe, but its very concise and , if exhausting, its exhausting in a good way. and before it gets there, its as thrilling as any music has ever been tbh. cant even imagine the atom bomb this was in 84

Their debut album. Hip Hop. Grounbreaking for a Hip Hop album at the time with harder beats and lyrics. Jam Master Jay is a track that's an example of this. A hugely influential album. It's Like That is the satndout and most famous track. I get the album's influence, it just seems a little flat to me now.

I know it’s revolutionary but it doesn’t hold its age well.

Great beats.Liked it more than I thought I would

Sounds like one track all the way through with occasional solos

Kind of cheesy but fun. I enjoyed it

Early rap feels like a whole different world compared to today's hits. But they still got it. Great beats, clean lyrics that aren't dry. I can see why people still rock the shirts and stickers still

Good old school fun. More intense than other rap from its era, but really tame for rap standards to come. Decent.

1.9 I'm sorry but this is so, so bad. I get it was seminal at the time, turning hip hop more mainstream and transitioning the genre from one off singles to albums, but Jesus Christ has it aged poorly. And just strange choices also. Why do the thing where they take it in turn to say a word or two each? And multiple times? It sounds shite. Beats are simplistic to the point of hilarity. Rhymes are also completely basic "why do you wear glasses?" "So I can see" ooooh good one mate. They'll be repeating that one for decades. Painful listening experience.

Fan, det känns som jag fått den här plattan förut. It's like that är ju en bra låt.

idk

wasnt expecting much but ended up loving it :) hip-hop/rap isnt my thing but i was vibing to this album as if it were taylor swift's hahaha. the thing with rap is that it ends up being a bit repetitive, though i enjoyed it anyway. my favorite ones were Hard Times and Jay's Game. i'd listen to it again!

3 disappointing, i always expect too much of them faves: hard times

Contextually, this album is a force to be reckoned with. No one was rapping like this, in multiple ways. A duo that raps to finish each others sentences, rappers that actively speak about themselves as better than all the other sucker MC's. I'm willing to bet their tone really set a standard for rap culture in the following years. The airy, basic drum instrumentals did a lot to define how east coast hiphop should sound. How is this albums contents, though? Incredibly frontloaded imo. "Hard Times" gets your attention right away and keeps it. Shoutout to Shaun White Snowboarding for getting "Rock Box" stuck in my head essentially forever. So many memorable bars, such a cool crossover hit with that 80's rock electric guitar jamming under the rhymes. Justifies it's 5+ minute length. From here, things get less and less impactful. Two songs about the dj Jay is at least one too many. "It's Like That" is a fair addition to the tracklisting as a socially conscious track. But by "30 Days" I was a bit clocked out, nothing new happens for the last few songs and the 80's instrumental pastiche starts to wear on the ears. Some pioneering work worth celebrating on this album, just dont expect perfection or much variation on a front-to-back listen. Mixed feelings 3/5

I didn't like it

Ondanks dat ik geen groot fan van rap ben, vind ik de stemmen van deze mannen heel aangenaam. De beats zijn ook leuk, dus ik kan dit album goed luisteren. ***

Time hasn't been too kind to albums in this genre. The flows are very similar throughout and across songs, and that causes a lot of songs to stay too long and kind of melt together. Good album when it came out (probably), but doesn't hold imo. High 2 - Low 3

Rap had to start somewhere, while this might sound basic and full of evergreen spaces that would be filled in the future Run DMC were pioneers of the genere, does that mean that I like it or that its going to be on my top of the 1001 experience list? Not necessarily. Wake Up is my favorite of the album, just because it went out of the way to do something different than most of the other tracks. 2/5

another influential album that doesn't really stand out by today's standards if you heard it in a vacuum. side note: more tracks need to use a snore sample, I wish that caught on

6/10 understandably important and influential as a rap album but very stiff and awkward at a lot of points, this is the blueprint for everyone who decides to parody 80s Hip Hop

I know of the group and the general sound but never heard this album. I recognize that this is a pivotal album for its time, and I can see how it influenced lots of other artists. But it's not my thing. It's all lyrics and beats, with very little else.

I just finished the Beastie Boys Book, which features Run DMC several times, so this worked as a fun companion piece for that early period of rap music

Classic.

Needs more Aerosmith. And I never thought I’d say that.

This is awful. Everything sounds the same.

The best mainstream rap album of the 80’s

Gillar albumet, känns nostalgiskt på nå vis. Fick mig dansa på nya, kreativa sätt! Mysig och kul samtidigt, lågintensiv-dansvänlig

Iconic, but a little repetitive

Run-DMC walked so Beastie Boys could run.

Absolutely loved the album, the two MCs have amazing chemistry and are incredibly fun to listen to. Best part is it's all tied together by the great DJ.

Groundbreaking? Yes. As good as "Raising Hell"? No.

Rock Box

Hadn't listened to this one. Some parts are great, but some sound like typical 90's hip hop beats. (34 known/78 new)

In a nutshell: that was then, this is now. We know it's dated, cliched etc. Let's put those observations aside. I doubt people heard anything like this on the radio or on MTV in 1984. This is nothing like Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five or the maximalist monstrosity that is Duck Rock. This is simple, stripped back hip hop. It was the inspiration for hip hop and rap artists to come. The good and the bad. I didn't like it, but i acknowledge it's the prototype of the genre. Overall: 3/10

rock box forever!!!! 3.5

One of the greatest of all time. Pioneers in the genre. This album is fun, catchy, cohesive, and relatable. Everything a great album needs to be truly great.

Never was a big fan but they did have a few great tracks. Didn't hate it but one and done.

3.5

I am probably softer on pre-"old school" rap (I've noticed when anyone refers to old school rap they only refer to 90s rap.) Though when this was released I was in my "rap is crap" phase, something I started shedding in the early to mid 90, it was really looking back at the early 80s rap that first started my turn to find some appreciation for the genre (probably because by that time it was that rap that was being incorporated into rock more so than say Biggie or Tupac.) As far as this album, first of all the three main singles seem to be the key tracks, especially "Rock Box" which I totally love. "That's the Way It Is" is the only song in here I was very familiar with from way back in the day. I like it now, didn't then. But my biggest take away from this album is the big drum sound which I'm just gonna go out and say it... No Run-D.M.C., no *Big Bam Boom*, not that Hall & Oates were trying to rap, but they totally copied that drum sound for the "Dance On Your Knees"/"Out of Touch" opener. I personally a) like what I've heard from *Raisin' Hell* better, "Tricky" and "Walk This Way" are tops. ||I actually like the Aerosmith cover better than the original, but that more has to with the choral effects on Tyler's vocals on the chorus in the original kinda takes the steam coming out of the verses. The raw screech of Tyler in the remake has a f'n great bite||, and b) much prefer the Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five's style of rapping much more that Run-D.M.C.'s. But in this album is really the template of the future of rap, even though I will probably mark *Raisin' Hell* as their masterpiece once we get there. 8.1 ★★★★

Nice for what it is, an early 80s rap album. 3.5 stars

This is another one of those albums that's here more for impact than anything. Run-D.M.C. really marked a sea change in hip-hop, from the more disco/party style of early hip-hop, to the more street style of east coast hip-hop. I don't think this is the greatest example of that sound, but they did it first and you can definitely hear the influence this album had on artists like the Beastie Boys and L.L. Cool J. The beats and flow are pretty simple by modern standards, but I do think tracks like "Rock Box" and "It's Like That" are deserved classics and hold up well. 3.5 stars.

“Hard times sucker MC's Jays Game, thirty days Wake up Hollis Crew Rock Box it's like that I love you still, I always will” So Green Gartside from Scritti Politti loves this, will always but I find this a bit majorly ropey and belligerently dated with wimpy flow and headachy awful beats. If this weren’t on 1001 albums list it would be a Run D.N.F. It’s Like That By Way Of Jason Nevins 90s remix is the only real good song on here.

Must have been groundbreaking at the time, but wished I would have loved it more than 3 stars!

Pretty cool, it definitely sounds dated now but I dont think you can hold that against them. Imagine hearing this for the first time in 1984.

I've never listened to Run-D.M.C. besides "Walk This Way" but had obviously heard of them. This was surprisingly enjoyable even though I'm not usually the biggest fan of 80s hip hop.

so influential but impossible to listen to. not sure why this feels too dated vs. timeless

I don't have the knowledge to explain why this feels outdated and simple, but I understand how this album is considered so important. It feels like a playground rhyme compared to modern artists, especially when they do that thing where they take turns saying each word in a sentence. I can see how this is the prelude to, say, Cardi B, but man is it hard to go back in time. I wish I were able to experience this in its time.

I'm picturing 2 dudes jumping around in circles finishing each other's sentences. Cute visual, but the album isn't for me.

Hard to hear the innovation now. Now, a lot of the beats sound the same and the rhymes simplistic. Back then, this was revolutionary. Listen to Kurtis Blow's version of Hard Times from a few years prior and then listen to this one and you'll appreciate what I mean.

It's always interesting to listen to groundbreaking albums and artists long after they made waves, especially if (like me) you're listening to their music largely for the first time (it was of course impossible to have missed their incredible cover of Aerosmith's "Walk this way", as well as the ubiquitous "It's tricky", but I don't think I've heard any of their songs from this album before aside from "It's like that", and I'm not entirely sure if I heard it much at the time). I know they made a splash as one of, if not *the* first hardcore rap/hip-hop groups to hit the scene, but listening in 2025 it's striking how slowly the beats pound, and how tame the lyrics are compared to just a few years later. But it's also impressive how you can hear echoes of them in the Beastie Boys (especially the syncopation in "Wake up", but really throughout), Public Enemy, Ice-T, etc. I particularly enjoyed their singles "Hard times", the OG rap rock track "Rock box", their seminal "It's like that", as "Hollis crew", and "". I'm a little disappointed I wasn't able to watch the videos to their singles, but probably not enough to go back to watch them later. But very fun to listen to a transformative album.

It's just the way it is.

80's rap is so unserious and funny listening to it now. Hearing all these synth beats is pretty cool, Its Like That is the clear winner here. I can imagine how ground breaking this was upon release in its era, but it doesnt have the same bite today. Great for a historical look back and to see what would come later.

Ground breaking at the time. Corny and quaint now. And it’s not even the good version of “It’s Like That”!

Here in the future this is as corny as it was once ground-breaking and influential.

This was a great album!!

Someone summarized this very old school hip hop perfectly: This is highly influential but too simplistic for modern ears. I appreciate the work and respect it and found it to be solid but it can be a hard listen. 6/10.

Not my thing. I managed 3 tracks. They all sounded the same. I gave up.

I'm a little conflicted on this one. I can appreciate what this was when it was, and a few of the beats/background ambiances are tight, but I don't think the overall sound has aged particularly well 40 years out. It feels a bit too rough... a little too bare bones. Still, this needed to exist for better things to come after, so I'll be middle-of-the-road with my rating.

I wanted to get into this more than I did. It just didn’t land. I still have respect for its legacy.

Six are variations of the same song

medium aged

Nee, dit is hem toch niet

I was white, surburban, and in 4th grade when this came out. I wouldn't encounter these guys for at least another two years when Raising Hell blew the doors wide open. This album was in the "formative mix" of my middle childhood, but not nearly as much as Raising Hell or the Beastie Boys' Ill Communication. It's great.

Damn, it's so primitive they don't even swear.

Campy, heavy, and a total blast all around, Run-D.M.C. does not disappoint on their debut.

There's something perpetually immediate about Run-D.M.C.'s authenticity, earnestness, and even their corniness that makes this debut sound simultaneously anchored in its era yet somehow also timeless.

I just don't think I like 80's or 90's rap at all. It's very repetitive but not in an interesting way. And it's hard to buy into the raps that are mostly just boasting about how great they are but are they? The only thing that could make this worse would be Aerosmith