Run-D.M.C.

Really liked Rock Box, most of the rapping was too slow, nothing as good as "Tricky" on this album.

I really enjoyed this, and I don't do Hip Hop in general. The entire album communicates a great sense of humor and a positive worldview. It's also catchy enough to engage me even though I don't really like rap. My understanding of the history is that Run-D.M.C. created that punk-rap sound that makes Rock Box distinctive, although the idea was actually Rick Rubin's and they'd never heard the punk backing when they recorded their vocals. It clearly influenced the Beastie Boys, and led the way to their other guitar backed tracks, like their Walk This Way collaboration.

they're just shouting at me with bad beats - I NEED MUSIC NOT LYRICS

extremely influential but also very outdated

Classic.

Samey

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

2.8 - I'm not that knowledgeable about hip hop and I certainly couldn't explain this record's influence on the genre. And this album played no part in my youth so it doesn't connect with me on a nostalgic level. I'm simply listening to this record in 2022 as a grown adult, for the very first time. What I hear are flat rhymes and stilted cadences. And above all, corny-ass lyrics.

A really fun album. It changed the entire hip hop game. The rhymes seem simplistic by today's standards but that doesn't take from the album. The album does not have some of Run DMC's mega hits but it is still a good album. I would listen to it again.

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

Very dated

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

The raw, heavy and powerful sounds of the simple drum machine arrangements and the very occasional synthesizer stab behind the very 80s MCing make for an austere but thrilling listen. I expect this must have sounded amazing in the 80s! "Rock Box" is a strange and jarring interruption in an otherwise outstanding album, without that track I would give the album 5 stars but it ruins it for me. The Jason Nevins remix of "It's Like That" came out when I was 11 and I remember it being my favorite song at the time 😂

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

Bangers!

what!!!! this album was FUN. i had a grand time listening to this album. there was never a dull moment. dmc and run going back and forth often kept me on my toes! they were so quick. the beats are, as the kids say, sick. i admire that, despite most of their tracks being fun, they use "wake up" as a powerful political song. run dmc were such pioneers with this hip hop album coming out in 1984. but then certain songs, such as "30 days," are of their time. i don't know the last time i heard the word "layaway." (but i loved that song anyway.) i enjoy the combination of rap and rock, too--the guitar is amazing on "rock box"! rip jam master jay. what a legacy he created!

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

Pretty standard run dmc, at least sucka mcs is on this one

I get it was important in the evolution of hip hop, but really dated and not great by today's standards

Solid, better than the first album that was referred. A couple saved songs off this, this is a defined, classic sound.

What a great album, doesn't feel out of place. Lots of highlights on this album, hard to go past It's Like That, and Wake Up. I also like bopping along to Jays Game.

I wanted to like but it just didn’t get under my skin

As I grow older I appreciate this work more and more.

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

Interesting beats that mix up every song. (Subverts expectations in stanzas) Emphasis on certain words for more impact, punchy. Throws words back and forth (Childlike whilst discussing heavy subject matter). Uses common social issues in ghettos and black neighbourhoods to relate to their audience, trying to punch a message. Wake Up is very layered, probably one of my favourites. Describes a utopia, then tells us it was all a dream. (On the nose.) Very unsubtle, but thats not a negative, just unappealing to me.

Absolutely fantastic.

I’m sure it’s influential, but the delivery is too dated for me. Great instrumentals though.

i’m not really sure how i feel about this. i think i just let it play and was there to listen and let it run out. it was unmemorable and a lot of it got super repetitive (like the beat) so it just got boring and annoying.

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

I didn't like it as much as some of the other East Coast stuff I've gotten on here, like Biggie and Tribe Called Quest, but I did still like it.

Well, that certainly was a rap album from the 80s

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?

Simple and solid. Still kills.

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

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.

True pioneers. A bit cheesy by today's standards, but this album is one of the first of it's kind for hip hop.

Run-DMC brought rap to the mainstream rock and pop market, thus to white people. They made hip-hop just white enough without losing its integrity. You can't go wrong with their debut album. (7/10) FT: It's Like That, Rock Box

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

Очень плохо

They've definitely got a formula for songwriting. Stand out tracks - Wake up - it's like that -hard times

Terrible vocals, terrible beat.

Loved the music and beats. The actual rapping seemed a bit basic.

Old school and cool. There are some dips here or there in how strong some of the songs have held up. For an album that launched hardcore rap, it feels less hard and more a reflection of working class struggles for black communities. It is defiant and doesn't hide the pain but it isn't brutal. Perhaps that is how it holds up so well... it's truth speak. (Unlike other later albums which are closer to ego-centric anger displays) And the mix still feel fresh.

I DM’d the C if you know what I mean. You can def tell how they basically created beastie boys

The beginnings

KILLER album. Insanely influential on hip-hop as a genre and it's just full of jams. I love the minimalist beats.

It's tricky not to rate this a 5, it's so close.

Classic! Jos tää jossain hävii modernille räpille niin se on käyttettyjen samplereiden maksimimuisti. Ei mikään muu. 4/5

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.

Okei, oli aikanaan kovaa menoa (kiitos Elias tutkimukseksesta), mutta nyt on vaan hauska hiphop-levy. Saundit toisinaan vähän dänkkejä, mut hyvällä tavalla. Kuuntelin eilen kävelyllä ja sai kyllä asennetta askeleeseen. Kaiken kaikkiaan 4/5

a little corny but overall pretty good, 8/10

Very cool album. Simple but fun beats and really good lyricism/delivery. I think some of the songs drag on a little too long without much change in the tone of the song, but that's a minor complaint. 7/10

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

I found myself missing the guitar riffs a bit after the second track. Nevertheless, the MCs effortlessly demonstrate the reasons for their influence. The progression from drum machine beats, to bragging, tunes, props to the DJ: It's all innovative, all entertaining.

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.

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

Missing the energy of their later efforts - there's a latent sense of the fun lyricism and infectious beats that would later define the outfit, but the creativity here feels stifled and mute compared to what comes later in DMC's discography.

This is their debut album and it really shows. We recently got Raising Hell and that was vastly superior to this very simplistic and low budget sounding record. I must give them props for being major influencers and trailblazers in this genre though.

pretty groundbreaking for 83 and hard beats for the time. I think you just take run dmc for granted now and they are almost seen as a novelty but this proves they had steel. 4.

A classic album, and you can still hear its influence in a lot of current music. Don’t know what else to say about this really - love it.

Hard beats and a boastful vocal delivery. You can see why RUN DMC were so irresistible to Aerosmith. It was fun recognising parts of this album that other artists have sampled. Half the tracks on Electro 1-6 seem to have been lifted from the album. Dave put the record, etc.

Could not get through this. Not for me

Probably the only rap/hip-hop album that I ever enjoyed. Some songs are fun and lighthearted (but still have well-written texts that you can follow), while some are more serious, providing comments on problems in the modern world. But even then, the lyrics aren't too sad or heavy. The beats are also good, and the occasional bits of rock melodies are a nice touch. And overall, the artists come across as fun, likable guys, a connection that isn't easy to establish through music.

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!

Seminal but rap has come a long way since then.

Not bad rap

Dit was begin jaren 80 natuurlijk wel iets speciaals, helaas heeft de tand de tijds heeft hier keihard in gebeten, maar niks doorgeslikt.

Iets teveel van dit

Behalve 'It's Like That' is dit een behoorlijk suffe plaat zeg.

It's like that blijft een verrukkelijke plaat. Verder kon ik het ook goed hebben.

This really is an album that you should listen to. It's the earlier example of beat box that I can recall, and had a huge influence. Just really classic.

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.

I found this album a little difficult to get through. I appreciate that it is an important album in pushing the popularity of hip hop into the mainstream but it seemed to lack style and the backing track seems pretty thin. There is not enough there to listen to with out getting tired by the half way point. My introduction to Run DMC was a few albums later when they teamed up with Aerosmith on Walk This Way which pushed Hip Hop further into the mainstream. They were no doubt critical to elevating the genre to the next level which makes this album essential but it hasn't aged well. 3 out of 5 for it's influence.

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

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

Ok i

ou eu ouvi a mesma musica por muito tempo, ou elas parecem todas iguais não é ruim, mas é meio cansativo

Influential in fashion, music style, and attitude in the 80's. Unfortunately, pass a little nostalgia and a trip down memory lane, the music doesn't hold up. Another record I don't 100% agree with being on this list. I guess better then the FAT BOYS representing the rap portion of this era.

Lekker

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.

This one required a lot of focus on time and space. Without the context of what the hip hop scene looked like in 1984 it is very very hard to listen to. The finishing each others sentence bit was cute the first five times but fuck it got old very quickly. How was a song about a 30 day return policy considered hard core hip hop?

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.

Grymt album

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

A seminal record which helped launch the new school style, Run-D.M.C. features drum machines, more aggressive delivery (relatively), and emphasizes the DJ alongside the MC. With rock and funk tinges, this album is more coherent and intentional than a lot of old school records. The only drawback for me is just how dated it sounds

it just feels so basic. about as complex as a wayne rooney teamtalk.

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

Oh, I don't know. SHACK'S reviews didn't last very long, did they? What would CRUTE score this? 3? I'll go somewhere around that then. RIP Meatloaf

The album that ripped hip-hop from its disco roots and set the template for its next 38 years. The album that proved full length LP album hip-hop could be a thing. The B-Boy style that reinvented urban fashion. And in Rock Box the song that quietly went about creating the rock/rap crossover format, got Run DMC played on MTV and had a large hand in hip-hop going mainstream. Got a lot to answer for haven't you Rock Box eh? As influential as it is, there's a bit too much filler in amongst the bangers to make it a 5. That said, an album containing Hard Times, Rock Box, Jam-Master Jay and It's Like That can't possibly get less than a 4, filler or no filler.

Normally I don't listen to old school hip-hop that much, but this was very enjoyable. Also very enjoyable that it included the hit ''It's Like That''.

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.

Just terrible, not my thing. I like rap but there isnt even interesting samples

Seems like a simple fun album, but not really for me. "It's Like That" and "30 Days" my favourite songs on the album.

La prima impressione è quella della desolazione. Quando ti abitui al fatto che cantano ogni cosa nello stesso modo, non ci sono suoni, il ritmo delle canzoni è sempre lo stesso, non fa schifo.

Fun

it's tricky

Very beasties boye

I haven't listened to this album in about thirty years and forgot how raw and original it is. Jam Master Jay's sampling and cutting work with the by today's standards 'simple lines'. But this right here is one of the building blocks of rap. Long before the autotune. 4.5/5.

Used to listen to this album everyday on the ride to school. Sounds very dated now. Speak-singing, drum machines, and it was ground breaking at the time, but didn’t hold my interest.

tof maar niets speciaal

EPIC! I never realised the message in these tracks although I always really enjoyed them for the entertainment value with the retro beats and rap style. I have a new-found appreciation for It's Like That and Wake Up - what a TUNE.

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!

This was a banger, such a good sound. I love the addition of guitar sounds to the classic hip hop beats

These guys have a couple of songs that are....okay. Other than that, however...

One of the most recognizable voices in all of music.

IGHT

Obviously legends and trend setters, influential giants. What struck me was how simple and spare everything is, some of the tracks were just a straightforward beat and rapping over the top. I found it refreshing.

Love the drum machines on this. Despite being a big step towards "hardcore" rap their tone is largely positive. In this way it sounds very balanced and refreshing.

Surprisingly I actually kinda dig it. I haven't listened to this early of hip-hop much, but I like this minimalist/staccato/sparse presentation, definitely a fun little jaunt. Plus decently thoughtful lyric material. Dare I say this album is cute now?

Appreciate the rock elements of Run-DMC. Seems so sparse and uncomplicated compared to some modern hip-hop.

Such an influential album and group. The skeletal production works well with Run and DMC's expressive style and signalled a change in hip hop at the time. Loved the dialogue between the two MCs too on tracks like It's Like That.

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'.

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

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.

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

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

Oy Vey, I got 2 hip hop albums in a row. What's next for me, Covid?

A lot of the tracks are not just old school but prehistoric rap. That said it still wins you over and about half the tracks are bangers.

it's like that and that's the way it is

Old skool rap. Some fantastic beats, but man do the songs drag. Respect the legacy, but its perhaps a bit too unpolished for me to really get hooked on. 2/5 - RAPetitive.

game changer

This album is a little bit repetitive, but is impossible to think about any modern hip-hop and don't think about Run DMC, so, it deserves his place on this list.

At a time when hip hop was mostly about parties and fashion brands, here were Run-D.M.C, shaking up the template by dropping lyrics with social commentary and slamming the drum machine over rock sound samples. This was ground breaking for early hip hop and kicked the genre along, broadening the horizons. Hard Times, It’s Like That and Rock Box are stand out tracks.

Anything that was featured in Vice City largely contributed to my unstoppable love with 80’s music, especially origins of the hip hop. “It’s like that” and “rock box” wow!!!

Run-D.M.C. by Run-D.M.C. (1984) We have here an album that was likely revolutionary when it came out, but it didn’t age well, because its imitators quickly went far beyond it in quality. The beats are well enough suited for cheerleaders. Effects are spare and primitive. Melodies do not exist on this record. Vocals are remarkably unremarkable. The inflections are almost totally lacking in variety. Rhythms are spicy, but unduly repetitive. The singular guitar groove on “Rock Box” is a great example of unrealized potential. Lyrics almost rise to the level of doggerel, with mechanical end-line rhymes that don’t have to stretch too far to be trite. Themes include such edifying topics as boastful put downs of competitors, boastful commentary on style, boastful self promotion, boastful celebration of success, boastful announcements of academic accomplishment and light skin tone (no kidding), and more boasting. One grand exception is the track “It’s Like That”, which observes the obvious in hard economic times, but then exhorts the listener to get a good education and work hard—well, then, it’s not all bad. But there’s not much on this album that qualifies as ‘good’. 1/5

Definitive mid-80s hip hop beats. Appreciate what it laid the foundation for more than I actually really dig the music.

Solid listen

I loved all of the sounds of this album. Drum machines and heavy guitar sounded great and really could see the beastie boy influences.

3.8 - Somewhat sparse beats, but great delivery above them. Loved Rock Box. Can really hear the influence they had on later artists - especially in late ‘80s and early ‘90s.

Except It's Like That, I was bored, frankly.

El disc que ho va començar tot gairebé. Sense ser un fanàtic del génere, els pocs discos que van a arribar a editar com a banda em semblen una meravella, especialment el to i flow dels MCs, aquí tan brillants a 'It's Like That'... Encara millorarien, però aquí ja van estrenar-se a una altura molt alta

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.

Funky

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

An welchen Straßenecken hat der Hip Hop zwischen 1984 und jetzt die falschen Abbiegungen genommen, dass wir nun diese Nigga-SuckMyDick-Mumble-Rapper haben?

Not the best

Not my usual go-to genre but this was quite enjoyable.

Hasn't aged well at all.

2/10

Rock Box ALL DAY

ωραίο, απλό

Super 80s and the beats feel real repetitive and not all that interesting

Good start, great middle and a meh ending. 4/5

Great!

Whats not to love with RUN DMC!

4 stars. Great to listen to an album that has inspired to much modern music. This is not something I would be itching to listen to again, but worth it at least once

// Favs: Rock Box Score: Decent to Strong 3

Solid stuff - easy to see how they took the genre mainstream and became so influential. Fave track - love the guitar samples from "Rock Box". Also, gotta love the juxtaposition of the unsympathetic pragmatism of "It's Like That" followed by the dreamy idealism of "Wake Up"!

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.

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

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

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

Hip hop puro y duro. Coñazo.

I like it. Dated, but a big deal. Fun. Probably a 2 but I'll give it a 3.

Holds up

doesnt understand

What is it about a snare hit that’s just so extremely cool? That dry snapping sound that’s the audible equivalent of trying to hold a really fizzy pop in your mouth – totally refreshing, lightly excoriating. The sound of a snare rolling means a call to arms, to action, to anticipation. The sound of a single snare strike standing in wide open space, chased by a syncopation, means heads rolling across shoulders and buoyant crowns. Posterity has RUN–D.M.C covered. No one needs another take on how influential the group were; even from a man who bought the “It’s Like That” Jason Nevins remix on cassette in 1997 (my second non-PJ and Duncan single, after Babylon Zoo’s “Spaceman”). I didn’t have it covered though, and considering that I nursed a fairly serious devotion to the Beastie Boys throughout my late teens that feels a like a miss. There’s never a bad time to properly hear “Rock Box” though (any notion that it’s a “misstep” is a wrongheaded and unromantic denial of one music’s most fruitful dialectics); to bounce along to the Krush-grooves; to bop around the kitchen to “Wake Up”; to follow-up on “Jam-Master Jay”’s The Magic Disco Machine sample and find it has only 1000 monthly listeners (!). This record is full of melody. It’s full of call and response dynamics that shadow and shatter the templates of genre after genre (blues, disco, funk, early hip hop, hair metal and rock), full of ideas, full of advice, full of observations, criticisms, jokes … and paradoxically, it’s full of wide open spaces for everything to stand tall in. Snares included.

better than I expected, a trendsetter in its time.

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

Love how sparse this is, and their interplay. Although rapping and rhymes have obviously progressed since this time, their delivery is so on point and their message is clear that it doesnt matter that the rhymes are basic. Loved it.

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.

The debut album of Run DMC is a hip hop classic. The music is basic and direct and the raps are to the point. This album has not aged a bit.

Cool to get to know their first album. Fine early hip hop. Won't relisten though, it's still a bit raw

катя скинь сиськи

It sucks

Sounds pretty dated now but still some solid tracks

A classic

Love the rock hip hop fusion from that time, solid album.

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

Good

This album is a certified slapper

Dr: surprised at how sparse this is. Voice and drum machine basically. Just a dream was so wholesome!

Stone cold classic

We all know that Run-D.M.C. didn't originate hip-hop music. But they did completely reinvent it. In the early 80s, hip-hop was all about the party, and that definitely wasn't the theme on the duo's quintessential debut. Adapting the hard rock attitude and edge with hip-hop, changed the way hip-hop was perceived for all time. Their style was raw, rough and tough, and hit much harder than anything that came before it. In comparison, they are a lot like The Beatles of hip-hop. If rap and rock were on a level playing field, Run-D.M.C. was arguably just as influential as The Beatles. The thing that could possibly date this record, is the production. It's very minimal, built on drum machines and Jam Master Jay's relentless scratching. Every once and awhile they throw in a guitar riff, or a keyboard hit, but overall, it's pretty skeletal. But that almost seems to be part of the strategy. The record was supposed to sound raw and stripped down, and the production reflects that nicely, retaining it's full-fledged impact. This was the first of many Run-D.M.C. records that Russell Simmons produced. He also went on to produce records for other artists, such as LL Cool J and Slick Rick. The music, lyrics, themes, delivery, and attitude on their debut marked a turning point for rap music. It's shocking at how good the track listing is for this debut. My favorites are "Hard Times," "Rock Box," "Sucker M.C.'s (Krush-Groove 1)," "It's Like That," and "30 Days". Run-D.M.C. have influenced countless acts to follow. Such as The Beastie Boys, Boogie Down Productions, Ice-T, LL Cool J, Eric B. & Rakim and many, many more. Rappers built on Run-D.M.C.'s style, just like rock bands built on The Beatles' style. This stunning debut may not be their most cohesive or popular album. But it's undoubtedly the most copied formula in rap and hip-hop. 4, as close as it gets to being a 5.