Reviews (page 6 of 8)
Has it's moments, sure it had more power on release than in 2024
This was actually pretty good.
These guys are probably the grandfathers of hip-hop and it's good to hear the early sounds of the genre. For me it's better than most of the new stuff I hear. I'm not going to say I'm the biggest fan but I know what I like and I like this.
While this record is undeniably essential it doesn't scratch my hip-hop itch the way faster rappers do.
Fun, but very dated-sounding album.
Kindafeel oblidged to give it a 3 despite it being quite a chore, but you really can hear the development of ideas that went on to build the genre.
Nothing wrong with a bit of Rundies in a play list but as an album it got a bit repetitive and samey.
Bit the same. Appreciate it was ground breaking at the time though
Holy shit this feels so fucking dated, it’s incredible. Trying desperately to promote this new sound, but I just can’t take it seriously. I’m not saying it isn’t unique and original, but given what became of the genre, it’s hard to listen to seriously. 3/5
it’s about what it says on the label. pretty groovy.
Old school classic. Showing it's age, but still some grout breaking songs.
The start of one of the most inspirational groups in Hip Hop. It feels like they were still discovering their strengths and the flow is a bit janky at times. But still a good start and they improved it quite some on further releases! 7 out of 10
Ça sonne vraiment old school. Genre le premier album de rap ou ils ont découvert le drum machine. Pas encore de sampling mais beau de.drumbeat et de scratch. J'ai aimé mais.j'ai l'impression d'avoir écouté la même chanson pendant 40 minutes. 3.5
C’est une fois de plus pas ma tasse de thé, mais ça s’écoute bien. Un peu trop répétitif par contre
Not 100% my vibe but appreciate the guitar in "Rock Box", absolutely sick.
A few historical and important tracks and shows their style. But is this their best album?
From the opening bars of Hard Times, you feel that this is gonna be special. It’s followed by Rock Box, which apparently broke new ground by mixing hip-hop with rock & doing it so well. I had not heard this album before, although I was very familiar with It’s Like That, which opens Side 2 & is so catchy. Such a great track. A really good record.
It's the first big hit album of new school rap (which sounds pretty old school these days). The minimal beats, occasional guitar and hard, staccato rapping style were massively influential and allowed Run DMC to cross-over to (white) rock audiences. It certainly worked for me. I was a white teenager in 1986 when Raising Hell was released. Walk This Way was the huge single and it caught my attention. I bought the 12" and the album which were amongst the first rap records released locally in Australia (other than a few singles that were almost regarded as novelty songs). I basically had Raising Hell memorized. I went to see Run DMC at Hordern Pavillion in 1988 (supported by Eric B and Rakim!), and they were awesome live. Run DMC's previous albums were basically unavailable in Australia for a looooong time, and so I never owned a copy of this, their first record, but I certainly was familiar with the classic tracks (Hard Times, Rock Box, It's Like That, Sucker MCs). How do I find the album as a listening experience these days? Well, a bit like I find the Beatles first record. It is exciting and important and massively influential, but not as compelling as their later work, especially when they had built their confidence in the studio. I _loved_ the minimal beats of this generation of rap in the 80s and their flow was hard, with the hand-offs between the Rev. Run and Darryl like precision clockwork (nobody really does that anymore). You can, however, hear how profoundly hip hop changed in the late 80s, with the increasing sophistication of sampling and the change in flow style (especially influenced by Rakim). Despite my love of Run DMC (who are the Beatles of rap), I'm not sure that this really holds up as a listening experience today. But massively influential and important, god bless Run DMC.
Den gode gamle hip-hop, indflydelsesrigt, blanding af politisk- og gangstertrap, oldschool
I thought I was going to hate it. I, in fact did not. Pleasantly surprised. Still not really my jam, but better than I thought.
Hip hop not really my thing but run dmc are ok to listen to Seems a bit basic, little depth to the music. Only one song popped out "Like that" and I've heard better versions
An essential band for rap, even if this debut is no *Raising Hell*. As much as I am a fan of old hip hop, and as historically important tracks such as \"It's Like That\", \"Hard Times\" or \"Sucker MC's\" are, this record still sounds dated and pretty hokey in 2023, as other reviewers pointed out. Let's face it, 90s hip hop aged better. See A Tribe Called Quest, De La Soul or Wu Tang Clan, for instance. And if earlier acts such as Public Enemy or NWA now also sound a little dated as well when it comes to the flows, their music and lyrics is still rich and sophisticated enough so as to elicit genuine interest, even from today's vantage point. Not sure you can honestly say the same miracle happens overall with Run-DMC, as well thought-out and crafted their legendary debut was. In other words, if hip hop was Michaelangelo or Da Vinci, a doodle drawn during its infancy would still remain a doodle compared to the Sistine Chapel's ceiling or Mona Lisa. Mad respect for the innovators that Run DMC were. But if this debut is a potential essential album, it will only be one found at the bottom of the final selection. 3/5 for the purposes of this list, translated to a 8/10 grade for more general purposes (5 + 2) Number of albums left to review: 451 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 256 Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 132 (including this one, mostly for \"historical\" reasons) Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more essential to me): 164
K so obviously run dmc was ahead of their time but…the bars sound goofy as hell by today’s standards lmao. Still gotta give 3 stars out of respect
Probably very influential, but not exactly my cup of Joe.
Strangely wholesome and quaint
Somehow I was more accepting of this album compared to ‘Raising Hell’. Not sure why, because it felt like it had less hits. But I think the annoying drum machine sounds were less prominent. Feels like a solid “in the middle“ album.
Classic. Genius. Awesome. It all sounds the same after awhile tho, so I wouldn’t listen front to back too often. But can’t deny their talent.
I'm to the point where I don't really want to revisit classic hip-hop albums because I'm afraid of how well they've held up. This one was a mixed bag. Best track: Rock Box
it was overall pretty good and not entirely what i was expecting and i think i enjoyed it more than thought i was of the impression it would be dissimilar to aerosmith because they were such a 'crazy' combination when walk this way was released and they were but they were not bad
I liked this
I appreciate the simplicity of the production, and historical importance
Good Hip Hop Album
I really wanted to like this more than I did, but I just couldn't quite get there. There's some cool stuff for sure, It's Like That is a gem and Rock Box is a cool rock crossover song that seems to have been ahead of its time. That said, while I'm sure there's a lot of historical significance for what this did for the genre, it sounds really dated now. The thing where the two guys go back and forth like one line at a time and then sing some lines together just gets old quickly. One other nice/funny thing, the lyrics are almost hilariously wholesome throughout the album. Wake Up might be the most wholesome song I've ever heard, and they're also rapping about like going to school and not being prejudiced. It's a nice album overall with a couple of great parts, but altogether is not overly special to me. Favorite song: It's Like That Other: Rock Box, Sucker M.C.s (Krush-Groove 1)
I was quite excited for this one and even kept it to the end of a backlog... I was disappointed. It started well enough but after a few songs the lack of a different beat had begun to bore me. If I want inoffensive and shallow rap I know where to come now I guess...
Hard to listen to.
Great what a sequencer and something to say can achieve. Pretty good, and compared with more over produced records, very clean
Is what it is
Pretty good. Lots of songs sounded the same.
Enjoyed this one. Big fan of 'Rock Box' and 'Wake Up'. First time listening and one I will get back to.
I wanted to like this more than I did. It started off cool, but quickly felt very repetitive even with it not even being 40 minutes. I have to give it up for the genre-defining aspect, though!
4 just for getting me out of bed this morning 3 its really not that good
It's Like That... and that's the way it is.
Better than the last one
- Never listened to Run-DMC album in full before - Found this quite hard to rate, as it's obviously very very influential considering it came out in the mid 80s, but it also sounds very dated - Found the style a bit grating at times but still good - Fav songs: Hard Times, Jay's Game, It's Like That
Nach heutigen standarts sind weder beats noch die lyrics besonders gut. Trotzdem interessant sich anzuhören. Light 6/10
Het is te vergelijken met Mario: De eerste game waarin Mario voorkomt (Donkey Kong uit 1981) check je hooguit een keertje omdat Mario tegenwoordig een iconisch karakter is. Pas vanaf Super Mario Bros (1985) of zelfs Super Mario Bros 3 (1990) is het daadwerkelijk leuk om Mario te spelen. Dat heb ik ook met hiphop. Ik vond Raising Hell al gedateerd en deze komt daar nog vóór. Historisch gezien bijzonder relevant (ik heb braaf de Wiki gelezen), maar ik ben in 2023 te verwend qua hiphop om hier écht van te kunnen genieten. Gelukkig is het album kort en divers genoeg om nergens te irriteren. Voor een keertje kom je er makkelijk doorheen. Leuk om het origineel van It's Like That een keer te horen.
Hip-hop, it started out in the parks. Hip-hop, you know how we do it. Get out on the block, start breakdancing. We hanging out with our friends. Shaking hands. We do the dance. Go to the ball and shoot some hoop. Doot doot doot doot doot doot doot.
Run opened up a new age of Hip Hop
Tempted to rate it a 4 but not quite
Not my groove.
vaikea albumi arvioida.. 2, 3 ja 4 ovat kaikki objektiivisia.... objectivelly tämä on 2 tai 3 tai 4 album... and you cant deny that..... tykkään simppelisyydestä mutta tämä on niiiiin paljasta luuta kun olla ja voi. pystyisin kuitenkin pyörittää tätä tunteja putkeen, heleppoa kuunneltavaa. PEAK HIP HOP.... EVERYTING AFTER IS SHIT!!!!! ''I've dug very deep into the hip hop world, from Biggie to Wu-Tang to Jay-Z and Kanye'' tosi syvälle, syvälle underground. teikäläisen mielipide - objektiivinen. 30 days (mario type beat)
Ok, a bit repetitive
Klinkt wat verouderd, en redelijk veel van hetzelfde. Paar vette nummers, en zeer vernieuwend!
Simple beats, some good tracks. A bit samey in pace at times. Ok album
OK album, some songs sounded very similar but OK on the whole. A three but only just. Doubt I will be listening again
Although I probably still remember all of the lyrics from their later album, Raising Hell, Run-D.M.C.'s debut album was new to me. I was happy to listen to this album, but didn't find any tracks that I saved to come back to later. This early Rap wasn't afraid to have actual electric guitars as part of the music in addition to the scratching and beats, but the music and rapping feels a little slow. I wouldn't keep anyone from listening to this album, but this album is just a peek at some of the energy and grooves that Run-D.M.C. will produce on later albums.
No es para mi Wapos ✈️ Aunque no descartó escucharlo otro día con más calma
Pretty good, but feel that it's aged a lot since it was released.
nice 80's hip hop
Fun, simple. I remember how some of my peers in the eighties we're entranced by it.
Old skool rap with a proto gangster styling. Prob shocking at the rime ( though not very sweary) better albums were to come from RDMC but this was historic i guess. 3
Quite plain but cool
Jújú, fínt svo langt sem það nær. 80s hip-hop nær samt bara ákveðið langt í mínum eyrum.
that is a lot of digital hand clapping! easy to forget that there was a period in early rap where the bulk of music was not sampling, but simple keyboards and drum machines and slick and fun rhyme trading. It's not as good as the stuff that came later though :)
A cool album - 3.5 stars
3.5
It was ok, interesting to see the emergence of rap into more mainstream
Classic drum machine beats and raps. This is a fun reminder of when rap was fun. Boomboxes and break dancing at the bus stop while waiting for the bus. DJ loops and scratching in its earliest form. Very gimmicky and sophomoric but I still love it. Only 3 stars because I like their later work better and preferred the Fat Boys human beat box during this era.
It was all fine. I like the mix of rock and hip-hop on Rock Box. I was going to say that this is an example of making urban music palatable in the heartland, then I read some review that called this music hard. So what do I know!
I can listen to this sort of rap and enjoy it! But perhaps this is actually hip hop? No wise observations, I just really liked. But not enough for 4. It’s a 3.8
Pretty stripped back and minimal apart from the obvious rock tracks. Political, but not nasty. Worth another listen to really hear the lyrics.
this has aged remarkably well however why did it take so long for producers to figure out how to mix hip hop. I can really see how some tracks (it’s like that and the krush grooves) would blow your dick off in 1984. Best tracks: 30 days, wake up, rock box
The entire time I was thinking, damn, I can't believe I'm listening to some anti-semite right now. Boutta review bomb his shit, but then I realized I was thinking of public enemy... Awkward. Anyways, I thinks it's funky fresh and cool, super old school and stylized even for the time, i can't say I loved it, but I can respect it, 2.5 rounds up to 3
That was fun to hear some of the origins of hip hop
Foundations of hiphop
Probably the best self-titles hip-hip album of all time. Inventors of the genre and inspiring artists. Hip-Hop would be nothing without them.
Really enjoyed it. Only knew their hits so it was nice to listen to some of their other stuff.
Oozing with swagger and a certain attitude bringing a harder tone and sound to Hip Hop than most other artists of the era. You can see the influences from Grandmaster Flash, but also the early roots of Rap MC's. The call and response shown by the group (not just Run & DMC, but also Jam Master Jay on the tables) laid a route for future artists while bringing authenticity from their roots to the mainstream.
Ces gars-là vont prendre un malin plaisir à vous abrutir pendant quasiment quarante minutes, faites très attention...
It might be a trailblazing album, but it does feel dated now
Exactly what you would expect from an 80s rap album which is good if you’re looking for just that. Honestly there’s a couple spots where the beats are kinda bland which was surprising but a fun listen
Almost 40 years later, there's something very modern with this record. This thing could/should be remastered.
More boring than the other Run-DMC. 2.75/5
very solid for the mid-80s
Great record!!!
>Good when its good but often overstated with long songs on the later half. >Whilst being the OG's, this record has aged poorly in some sonic ways. >I do like how bold and bizzare some of the sounds and samples are, such as the weird sample in wake up and the panning samples in the opening track ( which is the best track imo ). >The break beats are great too! >mixing is great too 3/5
It´s kinda cool, but will not listen to it again for fun.
They all sound quite similar but still a nice listen
Classic hip-hop beats, shows how far rap has evolved.
Even if you're only a passing listener to hip-hop, this is an album that bears repeated listening.
Liked some of the songs but the music was sometimes repetitive…..blast from the 80’s!
Kan setta pris på litt 80-talls hiphop i blant
Solid 3 Idk about replay though. It was innovative and fresh and that is most of its value to me
Alright but a bit same same after a while
OG album. What's not to like!?
On their debut, Run-D.M.C. clearly sets out to revolutionize the hip hop genre. And they largely accomplish that through an aggressive style that mixes early hip hop with rock and social awareness. However, some great ideas for beats or sounds aren’t enough to carry a whole song, and the chanted flow of the vocals gets worn out.
It feels so basic now, but points for paving the way.
love the rock sampling on rock-box - other than that it's all pretty good.
Liked it! Throwback vibes.
Yea it was tight
Without Run-D.M.C., hip-hop would probably never reach the heights it eventually would and it all starts with this album. With minimalist beat blasting from one of the genre's finest ever DJs (R.I.P. Jam Master Jay), a venture into rock that serves as a precursor for grander statements and the everlasting chemistry of the group's namesakes, this debut is proof that hip-hop has the ability to scale greater heights. Favorites: Hard Times, Rock Box, Jam Master Jay, Hollis Crew, It's Like That, Wake Up.
It was ok, pretty generic to me...
Record scratchin, beats slappin, brothers rappin. It’s like that.
Didnt finish kinda boring
Surprised that I enjoyed this one
Classic Hip Hop - a little dated, but an amazing throwback to the founding of hip-hop.
3/5 definitely felt the age of the album. Also can tell the influence it had on the Beastie Boys. Liked parts of it, as a whole its fine.
Imaju rispekt za sve što su izdefinisali u početku hip hopa, međutim nije moj štih baš. Zato trojka.
Ik kende er niets van, was verbaasd hoe goed het was.
Good stuff
fue divertido pero cuánto tiempo puedo escuchar música así? (no mucho) 6.5 de 10 im saur sorry
80s hip hop, debut album. I have def never listened to a rn dmc album before in it's entirety. i like the beats and the instrumentals of the songs. i'm wondering if they influenced the beastie boys or if the beastie boys influenced them. This is more tolerable to me than the beastie boys i think. it's repetitive but not bad. i like the guitars and drums used in these rap songs. something we don't hear enough of in current hip hop.
Very sparse and rudimentary, but the energy and personality is there
Lustiga gossar
Väldigt föråldrad stil, vilket gör det svårt för mig att verkligen njuta av det. Skivan är ändå trevlig att lyssna på men lite lång. .
Such an odd album. It's so sparse but it really works.
This album feels pretty dated but it was still kinda cool to hear an important piece of hip hop history. For the first "hard" hip hop album of its time, it still has a lot of charisma and character. Run and DMC have a lot of chemistry together and I liked their raw, in-your-face attitude. The production here is super stripped down by today's standards but I think it complements their energy. It's Like That, Rock Box (always love guitar on a rap song) and Hard Times are the standouts here. "Sucka MC" is an all time diss.
I will admit their flow is a little repetitive, but I respect the uniqueness of their sound. You always know when it's Run DMC.
Run-D.M.C. doing Run-D.M.C. stuff
A bit repetitive. Still legends and a great debut. Just didn’t age that well for me.
Bueno está el "It's like that" y es su primer disco y son pioneros del hip hop por lo que se merecen más que un respeto. Aún así el disco se hace un poco repetitivo.
This is fine but I prefer the more refined style of Raising Hell
Not bad. Enjoyed the beats.
Fun to listen to some old-school hip hop. Songs were pretty similar but good
Pretty repetitive but still a fun listen.
You can hear the influence of this album in decades of hip hop after this was released which is so cool. Beats are solid, just more repetitive which made the album overall less interesting.
Really liked Rock Box, most of the rapping was too slow, nothing as good as "Tricky" on this album.
Pretty standard run dmc, at least sucka mcs is on this one
I wanted to like but it just didn’t get under my skin
I’m sure it’s influential, but the delivery is too dated for me. Great instrumentals though.
I hate hip hop with a passion. Yet, strangely, I can actually listen to this. It's maybe because modern rappers try too hard to be misogynistic wannabe"gangstas", or the fact that image rules over musical talent nowadays. On this album, I even like the background tracks that display some real talent and craftsmanship, albeit with an 80s vibe, which is an added bonus for me. The dual vocals sound very cool and more badass than any modern artist from the genre could ever pretend to be. So, yeah, a nice surprise here. For me, only one question then remains: When and where did Hip Hop go so wrong? But for this album I'm awarding 3/5.
Apple Music has this under the genre of 'Old School Rap'. Is it Jason Nevin's fault that most of this album sounds like it's playing too slow?
It's a hiphop classic, and you know where a lot of famous bands got their sounds from. Still, it' decidedly simplistic album, beats wise and lyric wise. Some songs are quite catchy though. Jay's Game, Rock Box and Sucker MC's in particular.
They've definitely got a formula for songwriting. Stand out tracks - Wake up - it's like that -hard times
Loved the music and beats. The actual rapping seemed a bit basic.
Tässä aistii hyvin, että ollaan historiallisen teoksen äärellä. Vaikka vaikea tätä on ihan tosissaan enää kuunnella. Mut edelleen välittyy hyvä fiilis ja on tossa raakuudessa jotain viehättävääkin.
This just sounds quaint. After reviewing the Aerosmith record a few days ago, nice to have Run-DMC here as well. I actually really enjoyed this record and the production. The raps seem so obvious that even this white dude can finish the rhymes before hearing them. People must have lost their minds hearing this. That makes me happy. I was two years old. Totally missed it.
This brings back memories of the older kids break-dancing in the canteen when I was in Year 1.
run dmc
not bad run dmc!
Not bad rap
It's like that blijft een verrukkelijke plaat. Verder kon ik het ook goed hebben.
Though not my style, i respect it for the time and place and how it was changing/inventing rap music at the time. I don't think the drum machines and production really stand up too well today, but it is still an interesting listen.
My name is Tim and I'm here to say // RUN-DMC has influenced hip-hop today. Some tracks definitely aged better than others, It's Like That is still a banger, but as a relic of its time, it's cool to hear the mixed use of techno, rock and R&B on their sound.
A pivotal hip hop record that feels very much like a relic of it's time. The one-word tradeoff raps just feel a little awkward. While the divorce from disco/soul samples opened the door for so many other acts who pushed rap forward, I'm not finding a lot of replay value outside of some of the big hits. It's Like That is a heavy-hitter, though! Favourite tracks: It's Like That, 30 Days, Sucker M.C.'s, Rock Box
I both like and dislike the the 80s rap. I for sure like it better than current rap, but there are plenty of times I find the meter, beats, and rhythms too pedantic.
Je sais que ces albums ont aidé à définir le rap tel qu'il est aujourd'hui, mais ce genre de early rap me laisse toujours un drôle de feeling akward.
After the advent of disco rap (and hip-hop in general), it had become stagnant by the early 80's. Enter Run-DMC, specifically with producer Larry Smith who innovated the genre with hard-hitting drums and bombastic, in-your-face MCing. Run DMC also switched up the style of hip-hop, dropping the disco glam of the 70's for cool leather jackets and street sneakers (see: My Adidas). If that's not enough to convince you of this album's importance, I don't know what is. As for the music itself, it's certainly dated by out current standards of hip-hop. Flow is a bit rigid and simple, production is completely 80's with their drum machine sounds and synths, and lyrics are....interesting. For something so ground-breaking and innovative, Run-DMC's debut is well-made, though not a great album by any means. Run-D.M.C. gets a C for effort.
Classic 80's Hip-Hop at its best, "It's Like That" & "Hollis Crew" are standout for me. Yes can see why this is on the list
I'm not that familiar with hip-hop, but I like the beats here
Nothing quite as good as "It's Tricky"
Obviously dated but the guitar´s riffs and licks in the "Rock Box" make it renew
Realized I'm not a Run-DMC fan after all. Just not my style.
Seems like a simple fun album, but not really for me. "It's Like That" and "30 Days" my favourite songs on the album.
Fun
it's tricky
tof maar niets speciaal
Well I have to say if it had Its Tricky on it probably would have added an extra star, but sadly no. However, I did enjoy a lot of this!
Appreciate the rock elements of Run-DMC. Seems so sparse and uncomplicated compared to some modern hip-hop.
I wish I could give it a 3.5, I liked it more than a 3 but not quite a 4. A few songs were bops but I didn't love this as much as I expected to.
This is one I really wanted to like, after hearing about its place in hip-hop history. It sounds influencial, but not something I want to add to my listening rotation. It's Like That is the standout favourite.
Historically significant but didn't do much for me! Comparing it to Kanye's debut or even Jeru the Damaja's, there's a world of evolution. But gotta respect the ones who did it first. Interesting blend of 80s styles with the shred guitar on some tracks though.
Enjoyed it. Quite samey though I'm not sure I could listen to it over and over without getting tired of the formula. Even two playthroughs was enough for me to 'get it'.
I mean, it's Run DMC. I'll always be a fool for Run DMC. I think a lot of what they do is still pretty tight by modern standards even though the sound is very 80s.
Except It's Like That, I was bored, frankly.
I'm sure this was pretty groundbreaking at the time of its release. Not my favorite style of music, but I can appreciate it. 3 stars.
Stripped back, early hip-hop. Despite not being my favourite genre, hard to not appreciate this.
Ich sehe mich schon mit der Boombox durch die Stadt ziehen. Schöner Oldschool Hip Hop der mir sehr viel mehr gefallen hat als Kendrick Lamar. Mit Message und ohne das N-Wort. Leider was den Beat angeht und den Flow aus heutiger Sicht etwas eintönig. Mein Kopf hat genickt
Not the best
Not my usual go-to genre but this was quite enjoyable.
Hasn't aged well at all.
Rock Box ALL DAY
ωραίο, απλό
Whats not to love with RUN DMC!
// Favs: Rock Box Score: Decent to Strong 3
This was much better than their other albums. It was actually fun to listen. I still can't decide if I love or hate the whole let-me-say-word-then-you-say-word.
Revolutionary work, but not yet perfected. Lacks hooks to really take the songs further.
Important rap album but the combination of funky beats and short back and forth rap isn't my favourite
I like it. Dated, but a big deal. Fun. Probably a 2 but I'll give it a 3.
Style so specific to an era So many samples and everything else, this is foundational for hip-hop 10 years later More social / political than I remember
I know it marks me out as a Hip Hop unsophisticate, but I had a hard time getting into this. The sound was so stripped down and elemental, alongside the uniform rat a tat cadence of the rapping. I appreciate this intellectually but I wouldn’t seek it out.
Sounds pretty dated now but still some solid tracks
Heel herkenbare sound, met simpele, repetitieve beats, wat er wel wat voor zorgt dat veel nummers op elkaar lijken
Disco pionero en cuanto a los primeros acordes de Rap y hip-hop. Sintetizadores y efectos a patadas. Sin grandes alardes.
First Listen. I know and loved RUN-D.M.C. more for their next couple albums. This album has an undeniable style of RUN-D.M.C., just hearing it takes me back to 1984. 3/5.
Popular/mainstream rap.
Old school rap roots that paved the way for a lot of people. In the 80s I’d imagine this was amazing music. To hear it now it seems very rudimentary. I don’t love it but I can respect the talent of what was made. 6.4/10
5/10 liked drum machine/beat; some lyrics didnt like rap flow/style
This album is a certified slapper
Dr: surprised at how sparse this is. Voice and drum machine basically. Just a dream was so wholesome!
Very dated.
Yes it's culturally, but no, I did not enjoy it. The record sounds absolutely dated.
Not a fan, but it wasn’t as bad as some others.
Never heard this one before. Really not my sort of thing but I gave it a go. Still not my sort of thing and I can't imagine I'm ever going to listen to it again. Rock Box was really good and I had the 'chorus' of 30 days going round my head for a bit afterwards but the rest kind of blurred into a collection of repetitive beats and uninspiring lyrics. Favourite (only) tracks. Rock Box and 30 Days.
Parts of this kinda sound like the DK rap. Did I enjoy the rapping-type stuff? No. But did I enjoy the backing tracks? Also no. Oh well
This one sounds so old now.
This is rap in its earliest form, minimalist beats and loops with stilted rhyming. Unfortunately as important as it is it doesn't stand up in 2026.
Que lindos, se ve que tenían una buena amistad y completaban las frases del otro, pero me aburrí muy rápido
Oof, this sounds pretty bad now no? Not a fan today but I’m sure I would’ve been a fan then.
I get it, but uh, not for me
pionnier veut pas dire bon… 2/5 genre wtf y’a pas plus de 1 mélodie par sons😭🙏🙏🙏
Crazy how far hip hop has come in a pretty short time, but this ain’t it for me 2
I can appreciate it as one of the foundations of hip hop, but I just didn't find it very engaging
Not my thing
It may be a pondering record, but it is extremely dated. 2 stars for Sucker M.C.'s and It's Like That.
It's ok - there's some good and some bad. It's early so the formula isn't firmly established. Better days and beats ahead...
Man, I get this is influential and groundbreaking for it's time, but it's just sounds so damn dated. I was terrified the whole album was going to sound like Hard Times, which is an absolutely awful track with some of the worst, stilted rapping flow I have ever heard in my life. Luckily, the rest of the album is pretty standard old school hip hop in terms of flows, but I still don't really care for it. Rock Box is probably the best track with it's more busy production. But then you have songs like Hollis Crew which is just percussion and DMC/Run rapping, which is the complete opposite of Rock Box. It just does nothing for me. Overall though, this thing has just aged so poorly that I can't get into it. Feel bad because I want to appreciate it, just can't when stuff like Kendrick, Biggie, Eminem, Mobb Deep, Nas, etc. all exist. It's like trying to go back and play the original Metroid after having played Super Metroid. Just unplayable.
Me gustó más el otro que me habían dado, de dos años después. Igual divertido.
The beats were annoying and so one dimensional, don't like the vocals either, predictable, void of any feeling. Sounds very amateurish.
2,4/5
Album #120: Run-D.M.C. Genre (W): East coast hip hop, hardcore hip hop, rap rock Singles: It’s Like That, Hard Times, Rock Box, 30 Days, Hollis Crew (Krush Groove 2) I have not listened to this album before. Thoughts?: A few songs have great lyrics, and the beats are decent. However, the album drags and it definitely shows its age, especially with how sophisticated rap music has become since 1984. A little underwhelming. Favorite songs: Hard Times, Rock Box, Sucker M.C.'s (Krush Groove-1)
Old school rap, sounds dated
4/10 Reminds me of primary school poetry. I think when it new, young headmasterv arrived in the late 80s, he felt it would be "rad" if we wrote our own raps. Stuff like "My name is Gary, I'm here to say, have a happy holiday".. Rubbish. This is just full to my ears - better than a lot of hip hop and it doesn't cause anger in me. Just disappointment.
This reminds me of listening to rock and roll from the 50's. You can hear a lot of influential sounds, and it was probably pretty cool at the time, but now it's just simple and kind of boring.
Not a difficult listen, but probably not an album I'd listen to of my own volition. Certainly not bad by any stretch of the imagination. On researching I learned that it's been incredibly influential to the world of hip-hop - maybe if I was more familiar with the genre I'd enjoy it more, but I just don't think it's my kind of music.
The synchronized/alternating rapping is kinda dope but it’s still outdated as shit and the beats are extremely lame and as a whole is a very boring listen.
I appreciate this is a significant album from the genesis of the rap genre but it sounds really basic and dated. The flow of the record feels repetitive and becomes very boring to my ears.
I appreciate that it was a groundbreaking and original album for Hip Hop music in 1984, but I honestly didn't enjoy the overall sound.
These good credit score ass raps 💔
Objectively quite terrible but still took the rap game by storm
Klassiskt men också bland det mest utdaterade i hiphop-väg på listan
As much as Jagged Little Pill was rooted in the 90s, this is just as rooted in the 80s and 20x more dated. Seriously, props to these legends and pioneers in the hip-hop genre, they paved the way for a ton of rap acts I love. That said: this wasn’t very good. The beats were so vanilla I expected it to come with sprinkles. The flow is choppy and, this is not hyperbole, every track sounded the same to the point I thought it was just one long verse. I hate to do it, but I didn’t really like much of anything on this record - it’s gonna be a 2/5 for me
Number: 161 Date: 06/13/2026 Artist: Run-D.M.C. Album: Run-D.M.C. Year: 1984 Style: New School Hip Hop Familiarity: Aware (2) Rating: 2 Before: ======= This might be OK. It's a far ways from The Doors though, which I had yesterday and gave a 5. During: ======= Starting off with Hard Times, it does sound pretty dated and extremely simple, kind of like a nursery rhyme. I hope it gets better after this one. Yep, it does. It's a pity about the opener though. Rock Box is OK but after that there's not much to say other than wtf, why is this on the list. Rating Track Name 1 Hard Times 4 Rock Box 2 Jam-Master Jay 1 Hollis Crew (Krush-Groove 2) 1 Sucker M.C.'s (Krush-Groove 1) 2 It's Like That 1 Wake Up 1 30 Days 1 Jay's Game ----------------------------------------------------- 1.62 WEIGHTED AVERAGE (accounts for song lengths) After : ======= The only track I liked at little is Rock Box. I gave it a 4 but that's being a bit generous. After doing a little research, I get that this is an important album but I have to rate it a 2 personally, as I can't see myself being able to sit through this whole album ever again. 2 my personal rating 4 suitability for this list 4 impact ----------------------------------------------- 3.3 composite rating
80s hip hop. Debut. New harder form of hip hop. Very minimalist beats,
this was fine but a bit samey and boring
Decent old school hip hop. Although corny, it was interesting to listen to old flows that have died out. Some of the beats were more interesting than I expected.
This album fundamentally important to what followed. So much so that it sounds like a self-parody. However, historical importance does not correlate strongly with listenability, which for me it lacks.
Really disappointed in this. It's influential and you can tell, but it is the start of something good, not something good Best Song: It's Like That Rating: 4/10 Stars: 2
every song sounds the same, the format is just talking with longer than usual pauses in between, the only good thing is that it's over, mid
dois gurizes having fun. imagino que o status de lenda aqui seja pela influência.
Suenan bastante similares todas las canciones. 3/10
I'm sure at the time this sound felt new and exciting but by today's standards this just felt boring. Especially in the production as it felt like a one trick pony the whole time. No interesting samples or variability, and forgettable vocals and bars. Still not unlistenable though. 2/5
Pretty eh, mostly feels like just talking and album felt rather long.
This style of hip hop is just definitely not for me unfortunately.
Revolutionary album that didn't age well #1004901283091
nothing really stood out
Yeah was never gonna age well, important for its time
From the Vault #7 (January 7, 2026) Cool. Run D.M.C. For a while I thought these guys were called "Run for the D.M.C.". I've no clue why, but I'm pretty sure I got their name mixed up with Run For the Cube somewhere along the way. I know they're considered to be pioneers within the genre and that they released a disastrously bad album (produced by the frontman for Third Eye Blind of all people) during a period of career resurgence in the 2000s. It's unfortunate that these guys only have two book entries, but in all fairness hip-hop artists have a pretty ephemeral time in the limelight. Yeah, this is perfectly fine... at first. That's glowing praise coming from an esteemed, major league hip-hop hater such as myself. The sound of this album is pretty interesting. It has that old school hip-hop feel, albeit with a more minimal, atmospheric sound. I could appreciate some peace and quiet at first, though it very quickly becomes awkward. There's so much dead air, and the vocals move at a glacial pace when compared with what I'm used to from the genre. While I could appreciate part of the atmosphere, the instrumentals are completely air-headed. I could probably count the number of instruments and effects used on this album with one hand, and the actual compositions are quite dreary and dull. This album's shinining beacon of hope, however, is in the vocals. The singers are very adept when it comes to this style and delivery, which I perceive to be the sole reason for their success. Book time. "...blew up and paved the way for rap music to follow." "...perhaps the most influential rap album of all time." Pivoted away from the established hip-hop formula - this is more rock-centric. Minimalist. "...infancy of battle rap". I won't question this entry any further. It appears to be in here on good authority. I cosign this inclusion.
Michael Scott y Dwight Schrute??? 😳
Wasn't bad. Just felt extremely dated
I’ve always had a soft spot for old school hip hop, but this is dated in a pretty bad way. Shame, I enjoyed their other album in this list.
I like how they swap who's singing with basically every word, I thought that was pretty cool. Other than that, all the songs sounded the same. There was some uniqueness in it, but it just didn't stand out.
We seem to get hip hop albums in waves. This one isn't as bad as some of the others. Coming from the super early days of the genre, it's not so much glorification of drugs, misogyny, guns, sexual assault, violence, hating women, using women, that the genre has turned into. It is pretty monotonous still but in sort of a different way than hip hop is now. The lyrics are still questionable in quality but not as bad as more recent hip hop I guess. It's actually kind of funny to see how tame this genre was in its infancy compared to what it's grown into. All in all, I'd give this album like a 1.5, I'll round up because it's only about 40 minutes long.
me senti no episodio que o chris vira dj e arranha o disco da rochelle
4/10 Best songs: Rock Box As a historical artifact, this is very interesting - this is an unparalleled snapshot of early rap/hip-hop. But the other reviews are not lying: this album is very dated, with some really dumb, corny lyrics and not-so-great rhymes. I do find it charming, with a few interesting/appealing songs, but whether it's good or not is debatable. Even though my rating is low, I think it definitely belongs on this list.
Not for me...
Mittwoch, der 22.04.2026 ~ Mittag ~ Am Landwehrkanal gehört - am Dösen in der Sonne, zwischen meinen Arbeitsschichten.
My wife calls it Rap for Teenage White boys. I just call it crap.
I get that this was super important to rap history but maaaan it does not hold up
Didn't age all that well.
Well, these were definitely all Run-D.M.C. songs. You can tell because they all sound exactly the same.
Going into Run-D.M.C. by Run-D.M.C., I knew it was going to sound dated, but this really feels old. Which is fair, it is an old record, but the style of rapping just isn’t for me. I can absolutely hear how influential it is, and it clearly deserves all the recognition it gets, but the beats, the delivery and even the lyrics just don’t age that well to my ears. It’s pretty stripped back and repetitive, and I found myself having to power through parts of it. There are some fun moments though, and “Rock Box” was a highlight. But yeah, overall, just not for me. Wine pairing? Maybe a cheap, no-nonsense house red. Something straightforward and a bit rough around the edges, like a basic Cabernet or table wine. Food pairing? Fast food feels right. A greasy burger and fries, something simple and unapologetic. Vinyl? No, not really. Overall 2 out of 5, unfortunately.
I know that this is supposed to be a very special kind of music that shaped modern day rap, but I don't like it whenever there's not too much melody but instead they're just talking. I wasn't a huge fan of this album, but it was alright just playing in the background while I was doing other stuff.
Raising Hell deserves to be on this list. This album not so much. The effort to destroy my algorithm continues to succeed.
Surprised how underwhelming this album is. Incredibly samey and basic rap; similar lyrics flow and beats in almost every song, with pretty basic melodies as well. Feels almost incomplete on two thirds of the songs. Glad Run-D.M.C. kept getting better, because this album leave a lot to be desired. Top tracks: Rock Box, It's Like That
Of it's genre this is an easy listening sound. I find the continued chanting a bit wearing by the end of the album, but I enjoyed standalone tracks. The music was however a bit more varied.
This had a very 80s sound (which I'm not into) and the songs were all pretty similar. It's all undeniably catchy, however. This album is a basic precursor to hip hop and rap without the excessive swearing and with lyrics championing social causes. A few moments piqued my interest, but otherwise this just faded into the background.
Because of this album I realize I don't vibe with this kind of rap
https://youtu.be/WZ2TC8duaoE?si=o_gOdhJwww_N5TJx
I’m not sure I can take any more of the back and forth vocals Ya I’m sure this album had to exist for hip hop to be where it is today but damn it does not hold up . It’s good for like 1 song, I did not need the same thing 9 times
Run DMC cannot be disregarded in the history and culture of hip hop. But they are dated and lack substance. The more and more time goes by, other than being a historical relic, this thing does not stand its ground.
i was really excited because i like some run songs… this album just felt boring. obviously groundbreaking but i think their later work was more fun. will not be circling back.
Sounds very dated when listened to today. Not denying the credit they deserve, most music from the 80's suffers from the same curse - sounds like 80s.
i can see why it’s so influential Saw hard times and immediately thought of paramore, maybe i should listen to some paramore
Üldse ei istu see "korda-mööda" asjade ütlemine ja Run-D.M.C vokaalide stiil. Ma võin tõdeda, et nad olid tol hetkel revolutsioonilised, aga hetkel on neid ikka pigem kehv kuulata. Instrumentaalid on ka algelised ja korduvad, võibolla oli üks huvitav riff terve albumi peale. 2.4/5
guitar went hard on track 2
I have three cultural references for RUN DMC. 1 - The 2006 MTV Program "Rev's House" 2 - The t-shirt 3 - The Aerosmith collab This shit was so corny. I laughed pretty hard in spots. 80s inspirational rap music is ripe for parody.
unfair to put this after TPAB in our run order, but so it goes. I know sometimes the people that break some barriers don't always hold up to the work they influence or that comes through the door after they bust it open. a lot of this album comes across as corny and dated at this point. they laid some groundwork for music that followed, but I don't see myself throwing this on again.
It's hard to give a rating to such a foundational album like this, and it's funny we got it right after 'To Pimp a Butterfly.' To say hip-hop's come a long way is an understatement. Their album 'Raising Hell' is sometimes credited with kicking off rock-rap due to the collaboration with Aerosmith on "Walk This Way" and Rick Rubin's production, but you can hear it here on "Rock Box." It's all pretty corny and simple. You could see a lot of these lyrics go on elementary school motivational posters. 2.5/5
ui das isch früüüüene hiphop. de beat vo hard times goht recht ine finds no geil well no aggressiv. rock box isch no geil mit de gitarre. aber irgendwie 80er rap tönt immer noch humpty dumpty had a great fall für mich. s cha no so ernst gmeint und aggressiv sii. fuck ich wird dene nöd e gueti bewertig geh und s heisst sie seged so die wichtigste früene rapper. shit. ich hass dass sie die ganz ziit vo reime reded mann. its like that isch mich am nerveeee. es erinneret mich vode beats her so fest a die szene vo camp rock wo die eint mitem laptop en beat macht und alli seged " she's really good" und es isch so comically ass. sorry run dmc ich chan nuuuuull öpis mit dem afange.
Eh... Not really for me. I was hoping to like it more, but they sucked a lot of the fun of the backyard party era, kept its beats, shortened the songs, and added synths. Another case of enjoying the music that Run-D.M.C inspired more than the music Run-D.M.C made. Highlights: "Jay's Game" 2-star
Goofy
It’s a bit basic at times, like they've just got a drum machine to work with, but cool seeing the start of rap's evolution
The logo of these dudes has been designing the face of the democratic middle east ♡
The entire album sounded like one song. So repetitive
As a lifelong hip hop fan I'd love to give this high marks. Run-D.M.C. were a stepping stone for the golden age of hip hop. But it just has not aged well. The beats are one dimensional. The flow is chopping and annoying. The rhyme schemes are very basic. There's some positive messaging and the vibes are good at least.
I was previously familiar with Run-D.M.C. for their collaboration with Aerosmith, but not with this album. There are some interesting parts, but mostly I don't care for the vocals. I'm not a fan of rap, and this album in particular has a bit of sharing of vocals (going back and forth in the middle of a line) that I find jarring, and not getting used to by the end. I recognize this is historically important, but I would not come back to this one.
Важная для рэпа запись, но сейчас уже звучит как анархаизм
Siento que cantan de borma o que es una parodia de algo, no puedo tomarmelo en serio ni seguir escuchando después de 4 canciones.
What a difference two years make. The band's Raising Hell holds up as a hip hop classic. This one? Not so much. It's still fairly easy to hear why this is loved and influential - the beats hit hard, and there's audible joy shared between two bandmates trading rhymes. It's an 80s hip hop album, so yes, the flows are outdated, but I think a bigger problem is the pacing. The rapping on long tracks like "Wake Up" and "30 Days" is so slow that it makes the songs feel even longer and saps the energy from the beats. Those beats can also be a bit simple and stark despite sometimes having cool things going on. "Rock Box" is the exception, with a guitar-driven beat and more energy in the performances. There are some cool lyrical ideas here like on "Wake Up," but this one feels like a blueprint for a much better album.
Not into most 80s rap. It doesn’t sound sonically good…loud, clanking samples with that choppy, 80s flow. Said the same thing about the Beastie Boys album, 80s rap is one of the most dated sounding genres of music. But why is this album a 3.1 and Beastie Boys a 3.5? They’re essentially the same.
Another more important than good album that has not aged well. It's not nearly the quality that their next two albums would be
Album was ok. Not into drum machines and all, it wasn't hard to listen to still. Wouldn't shut it off. Not my thing.
about half-way through: so far the album feels very monotonous. Hip Hop is not my favourite genre of music in general, but right now it just kind of feels like I am listening to someone messing around with a pre-made song and adding in beats overtop Kush groove 1 is definitely better than Kush groove 2 okay it seems like the second half of the album is better (I could see myself listening to It's Like That on a regular chill playlist) oh hell yeah the second half is definitely better in my opinion. really like 30 days. not as big a fan of Jay's game, especially for the end of the album. Ik there's an extended edition but for the main one i feel like it could end better. still a decent beat though
A surprisingly compressed, even distorted, sound for the year 1984. Ultra-clean production had been the craze for at least a decade by this point (with even some of the punk greats taking up the trend), and this had to have been novel for its time. I’m not sure if the percussion is electronic or if it’s just very processed (but acoustic). The latter would be more impressive. It’s what Queen, Bowie, and Steely Dan (among many others) had been experimenting with in the late 70s. But the vocals… man, they’re just so disappointing. Props for going against the mainstream, and helping to pioneer a huge emerging genre. But serious, monotonous hollering isn’t that engaging, especially if you’re not someone who values lyricism. Even the (vocal) rhythms on display aren’t that interesting. The back-and-forth vocal in Hard Times is cool, but otherwise nothing stands out in the way of singing. You could classify this as rap (or proto-rap), but really it’s more like steady, rhythmic shouting. It works better here than in later decades. Partly because you just know the genre is going to devolve from here. (Wu-Tang Clan, I’m looking at you. Run-D.M.C. is much more of a “classic” hip-hop artist than you’ll ever be.) Rock Box is immediately a better track in virtue of the bluesy electric guitars weaving seamlessly between the vocal lines. The mini-solo at around 1:20 is particularly good. A clear 70s-rock influence here – possibly paying homage to psychedelia too. I would like to hear some more interesting and varied vocals, though. Two tracks in, and I’m very worried that the only human voice contributions will be generic unmelodic yelling that sounds better when ignored. Jam-Master Jay is a slight improvement in this regard. It’s almost anthem-like. Cool-sounding instrumental hits. Hollis Crew is a complete miss, and it’s obvious why. The only instrumental contribution comes in the form of an extremely monotonous percussion line that ends up being more distracting than anything. Not sure what it’s distracting from, though. Maybe the silence? The next track, Sucker M.C.’s, uses the exact same percussion, meaning the listener must deal with over six minutes of this nonsense. It’s Like That is a slight improvement, with a more standard electric-clap-sounding beat. But if it’s going to commit to having any sort of harmonic hook, it should ideally last for more than a single one-beat minor chord. (And it’s the same minor chord every single time.) I’m blown away that this was the hit on the album over the more musically interesting tracks. It’s kind of catchy, but it’s not “best-song-on-the-record” catchy. Wake Up almost works – it’s pretty entertaining – but ultimately it isn’t interesting enough to warrant coming back to. The high-pitched percussion in the left ear and slap bass in the centre are the two most promising musical elements… but then they don’t vary at all for five and a half minutes. 30 Days is similar; maybe very slightly better. And Jay’s Game is slightly better again – a decent way to end the album. (It helps that the vocals act as electronic-sounding instruments instead of, well, vocals. Nifty.) 2/5 Key tracks: Rock Box, Jam-Master Jay
Really appreciate this one’s place in history. But thankfully rap came a long way in a short time. The difference between this and what was coming out 10 years later is amazing. This sounds very childish now. 2.75
Probably groundbreaking but I find it a bit annoying
Is the algorithm front-loading us with early NYC hip hop, or does it just make up a huge amount of what we're going to listen to? Compared to De La Soul/Public Enemy I am both more aware of Run-DMC's full body of work, and less into it. Not to detract from the historic nature of this album (basically the first hit rap album, paving the way for diss tracks), but I think this is a 2, it's just too dated. If you're talking about the Wright Flyer flown at Kitty Hawk as a great plane, you mean that it was the first plane -- not that it was good at flying. Even Run-DMC were sounding more interesting than this a few years later. Rock Box is decent, though.
..their rhymes might have gotten stale. Might be sending them back in 30 days 😭
5/10- The influence and the Adidas aura are not enough to make me come back to any of the songs. Salute on laying the foundation and making hip hop relevant and mainstream.
I respect this album more than I like listening to it. You can hear how influential this is, but I am not saving any songs off of it. 5/10
ohh the clunkiness
Did not age well. 2/5
Lyrically sound and important Musically like two teenagers with a casio and are really proud of finishing each other's sentences. I get that minimalism is the aim, but it's not for me. There are like three sounds total throughout this album. 4.5 / 10 Best track: It's Like That
This doesn't age well. As a product of its time, sure. But so slow and juvenile. Firmly believe they have a pass for Walk This Way.
So poor, except maybe It’s Like That
I expected this to be more fun! I like Run-DMC, and I dig their chemistry. But the album didn't really do much for me. Run-DMC the artists get a 4; Run-DMC the album gets a 2.
I found this album quite pointless. It may have historical significance I'm uninitiated to, but I do know one thing: DK Rap. This album was probably ruined for me as it sounds intensely goofy if your mind is centered on a collection of polygon apes. It also didn't resonate with me very strongly on an emotional level. I feel no need to ever hear this agian.
5/10 Favourite: Rock Box Least Favourite: Hard Times
I understand that for the time this was very innovative, but this is very dated. As someone who’s not a fan of hip hop, I can’t quite make the connection for artists that were likely influenced by Run DMC. Everything sounds the same, it’s not bad but just not great.