Raising Hell

I relate very strongly to the song about someone going to KFC and accidentally ordering a Big Mac.

The cover of Walk This Way charted higher than Aerosmith's original and is one of the most important and pivotal tracks in hip-hop history and I would gladly give this album 8 stars if I could for that track alone. Also I wish the honkies that run this thing would give us more rap and hip-hop.

I have been known to be wildly inconsistent with my reactions to expensive items. I will happily overpay for a pair of jeans, and later that same day bemoan the state of the world when an ice-cream costs a fiver, despite both items having a similar manufacturing cost. My biggest blind spot in terms of this is with prostitutes. In Amsterdam I will greedily piss away thousands on the women in the windows, but when I'm in Barnsley, I wouldn't pay a tenner for a handjob. Even though it all leads to the same result. What I'm trying to say is, Run DMC are really good value for money. I think.

What a four track run Peter Piper, It's Tricky, My Adidas and Walk This Way is. I needed a little sit down after that. The rest of the album, as good as it is, is a bit underwhelming in comparison.

Finally a non-rock album, feels like I've been waiting so long. This shit is classic, every song on here is catchy af. This is the kinda shit I was waiting for.

These guys are also absolute pioneers of an entire genre and played a key role in bringing it to the mainstream, with some of the tracks from this album at the heart of that. Some people might say inventing rap/rock was perhaps not the greatest gift to music 😂 but the impact of their cover of Walk This Way is immeasurable. Plus it's pure vibes as a listening experience! 9/10

Thought I’d love this album but for some reason it fell short of expectations. A few really great tracks in there - It’s Tricky, My Adidas, Walk this Way - but ultimately the other tracks just blended into one another. I’ve always felt with Run DMC that if you’ve heard one of their tracks you’ve heard them all. I get their importance in hip hop and you wouldn’t have bands such as The Beastie Boys without them, but I’d just rather listen to the Beastie Boys. Pioneers no doubt, but there’s a reason I’ve never really listened to a full Run DMC album before.

A haiku: Their name’s DMC Here you see, it’s fun to rap Repetitively

If there’s anything to bring me back to a 9 y/o version of myself skateboarding, shoplifting, and trespassing it’s this album.

Such a fun and cheesy romp. I see why this is such a historical album, kicking of hip hops golden age. Great rhymes and lyrics, and even better beats. The only issue I have with it is the fact that it’s a little too samey throughout, in regards to flow in particular. Hats off to Aerosmith for showing up and playing their own sample and joining in on the fun, too. Baller move.

Fucking classic. Just a legendary album with many iconic tracks.

So in the summer of 2023, Aerosmith announced their final tour would be held later that year… I bought tickets, as I had seen them 10-12 times over the years going back to 1978… Anyways, I decided to Audible a biography about them in advance of the show, and downloaded “Walk This Way” by Geoff Edgers, and off I went… Unfortunately, I chose the WRONG “Walk This Way” biography – as I wanted the one by Stephen Davis – but I listened to it anyway… Long story short, the Edgers book was basically the story of how Rick Rubin (i.e. the producer of “Raising Hell”) was able to convince RUN-DMC & Aerosmith to collaborate on the “Raising Hell” album via the track “Walk This Way”. You get some decent background about both bands, some good background about Rubin, especially his early years @ NYU – and the story behind how that song came to be on that album… Obviously, that is the epic track on “Raising Hell”, and what I found fascinating in the book, was that Rubin felt the album would not be anywhere near as successful without “Walk This Way” – and that neither Aerosmith – who had really hit the skids by then, had no interest in doing it, and neither did RUN-DMC… But Rubin was able to get RUN-DMC, Steven Tyler, and Joe Perry in the studio for one evening to try and pull it off… RUN-DMC knowing this would be happening, didn’t even bother to learn the lyrics, and Tyler & Perry were still using, less than enthusiastic… BTW – Rubin didn’t tell the rest of Aerosmith – as he just wanted to the 2 main guys – which is why the drum part is pretty pedestrian, and why the rest of the band was pissed once they found out about it… Anyways – for a couple of artists who were struggling at the time, who came into the session with some seriously bad attitudes, Rubin was able to get what he wanted – and he was absolutely right about that song “making the album”… As for the album, Side 1 is absolutely stunning with the run of “Peter Piper”, “It’s Tricky”, “My Adidas”, & “Walk This Way” – and is truly the heart of the album… “It’s Live” is decent, but “Perfection” is nothing special… As for Side 2, things start out strong again with “Hit & Run”, and the title track – “Raising Hell” as both are quite excellent – but things start to lose a lot of steam from that point on… That said, that’s 6 out of 12 tracks that I really enjoyed, and of course the magic of Rubin’s “Walk This Way” being the centerpiece of the album – exactly as he had imagined it… Not a rap guy by any measure, but this is an excellent album… Would probably give it a 4.25 based on the actual song quality (i.e. although it is interesting when you check Wiki, that Simmons & McDaniels are only credited with writing 2 of the 12 tracks – so not sure what other magic Rubin may have worked back then…), but given the cross-over break-thru of “Walk This Way” and it’s historical significance – I gotta give this album a 5 – and I don’t give very many of those…

Stone cold classic.

A classic, defining album in hip hop history. One of the first mainstream albums that lead us to hip hop as we know it today. Wonderful MCs with masterful production from two of the best to ever do it.

Ahh it's pretty good for what it is, isn't it? I'd never stick it on at home, but yeah, sound. If it was an item of furniture, it'd be a diamond encrusted lamp shade that screams "Tricky" every time you turn it on.

It's funny that "Perfection" is the track that keeps this from having an absolutely flawless Side A. That said, it's not flawed enough to lower the rating. To me, this album is Run-DMC's finest. "Dumb Girl" hasn't aged well, but this is still a certified classic.

Such a great album. Loaded with classics. A must own of the genre in my opinion.

First Hip hop/rap I ever owned. Been a while since I listen to the entire album. It's still awesome and yes this album everyone needs to listen to.

This feels so iconic. I love the minimalist Rick Rubin production. A lot of the time the tracks dispense with anything more than beats and just let the MCs do their thing. "Walk This Way" was the big breakthrough, crossover hit, but the album is full of other tunes that pack just as much punch. The lyrics are still echoed in hip hop.

Here's another one that I could write paragraphs about. This album, along with Licensed to Ill and LL's BAD, were the foundation for my love for hip hop. I'm certain that I'm far from alone there as Raising Hell was the first platinum hip hop album and with the smash success of the Walk This Way crossover. For me, this album is as much about Jay's DJing and Rick Rubin's production as it is the rhymes. Granted, they lean heavily on the hard guitar riffs but once again it's a case of "is too much of a great thing a bad thing?" Along with the commercial breakthrough legacy of this album it's also a landmark transition from earlier 80s hip-hop in how clean and precise the production and scratching is. Compare and contrast to Paid in Full, for example. It's an 80s style but still easily holds up today. Four undeniable classics right at the top, along with the title track later, lead the way in making this an easy top 5-10 hip-hop album of the 80s. In fairness, some of the later tracks don't stand out as much on their own but that's a hard ask when up against so many hits. Still solid enough to hold it all together. It has to be a 4-4.5 for the music, but for influence and legacy, sentimentality, and personal enjoyment this is a slam dunk 5 for me.

10/10 energy. So many iconic samples that have been lifted from this album that your memory will recall throughout. So ahead of its time.

Run DMC had been making waves already, but this is the album that helped them and Hip Hop cross-over to the mainstream. Loaded with iconic tracks, and oozing with swagger, this is a must for old school Hip Hop.

"Walk this way" collaboration with Aerosmith and "You be illin'" are standouts.

Obviously dated, and while fun, my potential enjoyment for this era of rap is pretty limited - the rapping tends to be too monotone, for the most part.

The album didn't appeal to me either when it was released or today. Even Walk this Way together with Aerosmith doesn't change that. Farewell rap rock.

In 8th grade, I did a lip sync performance to It's Tricky with another kid in class. Two super-white kids, but we thought we were freaking awesome. So, I still have a soft spot for this album. Relistening to it MAAAANY years later, it holds up really well. Rocking tracks, awesome rapping - it's no wonder it's considered a seminal breakthrough rap album. The rock-rap combination works really well, and of course it brough Aerosmith back to life. Easy 5 for me. Favorite tracks - I like the rock-rap tracks best, but the straight rap songs are fun, too: It's Tricky (love the My Sharona sample), Walk This Way (great combination of the two groups), Raising Hell (great heavy track), You Be Illin' (I laugh every time), Proud to Be Black (my favorite pure rap song on the album - I'm raising my white fist in solidarity).

5 stars!!! One of my all-time favorite songs is on this album. Walk This Way with Aerosmith.

I didn't know I needed this.

I very much enjoyed the track that’s named after Rev Run, but which is entirely rapped by DMC and only features Run grunting and panting like that horny wolf from Droopy. Raising Hell is the prototypical modern Hip-Hop album. Most of the direction that Hip-Hop has taken since this album’s release can be directly traced to Run-DMC, but one of the reasons for it’s influence is it’s simplicity. A fair few of the beats are purely percussion, and the rhymes and themes are mostly basic. But because of the relative simplicity, it does feel like a blueprint. The influence on the Beastie Boys is particularly clear and makes the evolution of Hip-Hop in even a few years really evident. The Beasties were using samples from Zeppelin and Sabbath, and had Kerry King doing their solos. In comparison, Run-DMC’s production seems a little thin, and outside of Walk This Way and It’s Tricky, the riffs and guitar parts seem lacking. And as such, I’d probably rate it just a four. But it’s influence is undeniable, and I can’t not reward that. I’d contrast it to my theory about ZZ Top’s Eliminator from a few days ago, that being we didn’t get a lot of ZZ Top inspired New Wave Boogie because it was so well done on that album. Raising Hell is a masterclass in Hip-Hop’s potential and inspired artists in a way ZZ Top didn’t; inspiring them to have their own go, take the blueprint and expand on it. And if that was it’s goal, it succeeded magnificently

I forgot how great this album was.

This was great. While I have heard songs from jt, I hadn’t really been exposed to it. I wish modern rap was like this.

Flawless. Great production just let's the rhymes shine through. A sound all of their own and not a bad track. Could mark it down for the creation of the often painful rap rock genre (but equally as killer when done right) but won't. Solid 5

It's very distinctly 80s hip-hop, which of course is going to sound a bit dated. As far as 80s hip-hop goes though, it's killer. It's impossible to not get hyped up to something like It's Tricky.

Day315 - this is a fantastic rap album with so many hits and the reason they’re in the rock and roll hall of fame

Bangers

Sounds dated now but still classic

Classic DMC tracks. In 1986 ts was hittin forshure

it's tricky changed my life when i was 10

Raising Hell Peter Piper - It’s Tricky - My Adidas - Walk This Way is a superb, exciting run of 4 songs. The interplay of the two voices and the bell hook on Peter Piper is excellent. It’s Tricky is superb, the vocal hook is very catchy and the Knack sample is excellent. My Adidas is great and despite it;s ubiquity Walk this Way is a banging bit of rock-rap pop music. It’s hard to maintain that quality thereafter, although Raising Hell’s guitar mash up is good and You Be Illin’ is great, as good as those first few songs. Aside from the songs I love the whole sound of this, it’s got an almost minimalist focus on beats, scratches and vocals, with samples and instrumentation sparsely deployed to accent the drum machines and rapping. It makes a nice contrast to what would come in the following years with the density of the sound of Public Enemy and the intricate, complex layering of samples on 3 Feet High and Rising and Paul’s Boutique. Thoroughly enjoyable and hugely influential, it’s still a fun and exciting listen. Solid 4. 👟👟👟👟 Playlist submission: It’s Tricky

My brother came back from a summer working in America with this on cassette. It was like he had come back from the future.

One star deducted for resurrecting Aerosmith’s career. Even with that in mind, this is just a really fun record. Hard to dislike it.

More like “Light Jog-DMC”. This album is great for cleaning your sunglasses, as you inevitably leave a smudge and have to redo it. In all honesty, it was actually pretty good…illin’ you could say. I enjoyed the heavy drums, guitar riffs and scratches on quite a few songs, as well as the beat boxing on my fav track, Hit It Run. The most notable aspect of this kind of rap is the unison on the last lyric of the bar. Where one of them sings the line and then they all yell the last word. Classic. Was more of a novelty listen for me than anything. Was very cool to get a sense for what mid-80s rap was all about. That said, I wouldn’t necessarily revisit this on the reg. It’s tricky because you gotta give props to the trailblazers. They earn an extra star because they made an Aerosmith song better than the original. Aerosmith sucks.

One of the most iconic rap albums of all time with an almost incalculable influence spanning both genres and decades. Admittedly, it does sound a tad dated given what is being made today, but all modern rap music must pay homage to the OG's who paved the way. A wildly original style for the time. Although it may sound a little dorky for today's standards, there isn't much to not like. 4/5

Man, that's just good. The only reason it doesn't rate a five is because the beats get REALLY repetitive when listening to a whole album. But every track, taken by itself, is a banger.

Kaikki isot hitit, hyvin kulkee vaikka selkeä oman aikansa levy.

YES! Montag morgen, am Weg in die Arbeit, irgendwie war ich bissl schneller! Bei denen reichts auch einfach wenn nur die drums und das gerappe sind. Macht einfach voll Spaß!

Classic old-school Hip-Hop Rock, most songs have a fairly simple hook or lyric but the verses are where they really shine. I never realized how much Beastie Boyz picked up from Run DMC, the influence is super obvious here. Raising Hell stood out, that was a great tune. Good mix of goofy tunes with some serious punchy ones.

The first thing to strike the contemporary listener is how antiquated the album sounds. I mean this neither as condemnation nor praise, but just observation. It sounds exactly how a major hip-hop act would sound in 1986. So, with that qualifier, the album is still rather fun. The shared duties and alternations between the lads still delights. Easily a 4-starrer. However, there isn't quite a sense of flow between the songs. Raising Hell feels more like a collection of songs than a cohesive album. This is not a flaw per se, but I can't declare it a masterpiece.

Energiskt, och låter före sin tid. Aldrig tråkigt.

Oh yeah, this was pretty great! Sometimes listening to old school hip-hop can be a bit of a chore, as the rhymes can sound basic and dated, and the attitudes can be, uh, regressive, but this still sounded pretty fresh! I guess the amount of rock music being sampled (and the Aerosmith collab) make this much more accessible to my goblin-pale ass. In the version of the album I listened to there was a bonus track of them recording a commercial for some live dates, and they refer to themself as "Rap n' Roll", and YES, that's a great label! Fave track - all the singles were great - also liked "Proud to be Black" for the Tubman reference!

Oh man the drum machines on this! Especially the 808s! The interplay of the MCs sounds a little dated now but if you think about it that'd be hard as hell to pull off - like constantly doing alley-oops on the basketball court.

Amazing bars, wordplay, and arrangements define this LP. An absolute blast to listen to.

Deserving of being called a classic. It served as an influential blueprint for many of today's top artists and broke down barriers between audiences. However, as someone who grew up in the 2000's, I believe that if you weren't there at the time that this was released you won't be able to fully resonate with it. Hip hop has evolved so much in the decades since this album, and Raising Hell can feel a litle prehistoric as a result.

No. 279/1001 Peter Piper 3/5 It's Tricky 3/5 My Adidas 3/5 Walk This Way 3/5 It Is Live 3/5 Perfection 3/5 Hit It Run 2/5 Raising Hell 2/5 You Be Illin' 3/5 Dumb Girl 2/5 Son of Byford 3/5 Proud to Be Black 3/5 Average: 2,75 Similar to their first album I just don't think this has aged that well.

I used to like this band when I was a kid, but I don't think their sound has aged well purely because other rap acts have done their schtick better, Beastie Boys in particular. Still very influential and deserves to be on the list though.

This is probably the best type of rap that I care to listen to, sparse, creative, fresh, and fun. Almost feels like a brand new sound that aliens from a different world introduced here. I'll give 3 stars

An ode to the cow bell, which never fails to improve a song and here creates the impression that the boys are tap dancing around the beat. The only other punctuation is Jam Master Jay's guitarless rock beats and the boys' punched-out vocals.

3 car y'a des tracks dégueulasses

Fun in doses.

Bisschen lahme Drum Machine die ganze Zeit. Das Lied mit Aerosmith ist fett

Important and ferocious fun at its best, which is “Tricky”, "Walk this Way" and the opener "Peter Piper", the rest part-validates the contemporary philistine's labelling of this as novelty music: behind the then-bold eruptions of mechanised horns and vinyl scratching there's not much to hang onto.

Didn't get the love for this at the time, and still think it's a poor effort. Not really "fun" rap like Sugarhill Gang etc. earlier, and pretty weak compared to Public Enemy or even LL Cool J. Boring beats and one-note shouty rhymes, like the similarly overhyped Beastie Boys. Walk This Way is definitive, but only because the original is terrible. Barely scrapes a 3 for historical purposes [EDIT - downgraded as it's boring as shit]

Although the 80s breakin', scratchin', rappin' scene was cool, I never could get into the music. It's always comes off as hokie with pretty weak rhymes. I get that this is the early stages of the genre and MCs wanted it to be positive and approachable for all. Walk This Way was the 1st to bridge the rock/rap gap and that's why we see the album on the list. Tricky is another pretty good one but the cheeseyness takes over. They even make fsrt sounds while best boxing. Knew that Run-DMC would make the list and not the worst group in my opinion from 80s hip hop...1.9.

Wasn't my jam. Couple of good songs .

I know Run DMC is one of the most influential rap groups but I just can't stand rap "groups". Having 1 guy rap and a bunch of others help finish every sentence is just annoying as hell. And then the "music" on this album sounds like it was made on a shitty Casio keyboard using the drum beats setting. It sounds like the producer said "Let's crank up the bass drum and make the rest sound far away in an echo chamber." Bonus star only for being so influential to music.

Unsure if just dated or really that bad. Terrible cliche lyrics and terrible production on most tracks. Truly irritating kick drum plastered over almost every track. Only gets 2 because of Get Tricky being a classic

Not a fan, all of the songs except one sounded the same.

Walk this way is fine. Raising Hell is partly ok. The rest is terrible, so terrible.

amazing

Do you want to listen to some music that has faster lyrics? Well in it's tricky you can! I rate this song a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐. I highly recommend this song. Do you want to listen to some music that has really good electric guitar? Well in Walk This Day you can! I rate this song a ⭐⭐⭐⭐. I recommend this song. Do you want to listen to some music that has a lot of drums? Well in raising hell you can! I rate this song ⭐⭐⭐⭐. I recommend this song.

i like this song i like the beat and i like hearing this song to. i like the second song i like how the beat is mixed i like the third song t o becuse of the same resons

You can hear hour 2010-2025+ rap music that has been influenced by DMC. The second part that I love about this, was being able to here the 80 articulation and accent.

Total nostalgia. Upped the stars due to I knew every song and nearly every lyric.

My kind of Hip-Hop

This is a surprise. Whenever I get a rap album from the eighties or early nineties I cringe. It’s always bad rappers with corny beats and I hate it. This album slappppspsss sooo haarrrrddd. Run DMC are amazing rappers with impeccable flow and clever rhymes with powerful delivery. The production is thin by today’s standards but extremely effective. I don’t think I ever listened to this album but I’m sure I will again.

Aerosmith was a real surprise. A really enjoyable album.

Pivotal album for me personally and probably in the story of music. I recall listening to this on the bus in elementary school, splitting a pair of broken headphones with a buddy and being introduced to hip hop that released before I was alive. Some absolute bangers that stand the test of time. I always loved Peter Piper because of how the emcees use it as an opportunity to brag about their friend. RUN and DMC open up the album by boosting the guy without a microphone and it's always been influential to me. It's approachable hip hop that serves a lot of purpose through a lot of talent.

love it. Gives strong beastie boys vibes which is right up my alley and based on the wiki page they might be the ones to have inspired BB’s sound.

Great album

'Not bad meaning bad, but bad meaning good.' Run-D.M.C. was the first cross-over hip-hop act, not only b/c they collaborated w/ Aerosmith but b/c they were three things at once: hard, as in street, heavy, as in rockin', and cerebral, as in geeky and allusive. Raising Hell is remarkably self-aware, a deliberate admixture of nerdy programs and a tough sensibility. Taking these qualities not as opposing forces but natural allies, D.M.C. essentially defines the genre w/ these two lines: 'I got prescription glasses and my eyes are correct'; 'It's called gangsta hard rock, non-stop hip-hop.' Not many albums begin w/ four certified and infectious classics, but this one does. The rest is just as brilliant, especially 'Perfection' and 'You Be Illin'.'

I've never been into Hip-Hop, though I can appreciate a well done example when I hear it. Raising Hell is a pretty great example of old-school 80's Hip-Hop. The songs are a lot of fun. I particularly enjoyed the titular song with its heavy guitar riffs between verses.

Pet fav songs: Peter Piper; It's Tricky; Raising Hell Standout album from the golden age of hip-hop

🔥

This was awesome. Had forgotten how good they were.

This is #day230 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and... once again, old-school hip-hop just hits the spot. I can only imagine what it was like hearing this in the '80s. This is my second DMC record on the list, and according to the Album Explorer feature, it’s their last one. Could I have predicted this band would end up among my favorites? Not sure, but they are now. It’s tough to judge the importance of this album fully, but you simply can't help it, right? It’s breaking down all kinds of barriers—cultural, racial, musical... Tracks like Tricky, My Adidas, Walk This Way, and You Be Illin' are just a few of the bangers that prove how this album has stood the test of time. Celebrating its 40th anniversary next year—that’s crazy. I’m giving it a 5 out of 5 because it absolutely deserves it. Looking forward to #day231.

Peter Piper, classic Run-DMC. Rap before gangsta rap was like a whole different genre. It's hard to pick a favorite Run-DMC song, but It's Tricky is definitely a contender. Peter Piper, It's Tricky, My Adidas and Walk This Way is the best four song start to any album. That's crazy. Walk This Way could be two bands' best song. Is It Live is so clearly produced by Rick Rubin they could have called it "Rick Rubin Was Here". It actually sounds super derivative of another Rubin song, "She's Crafty" by the Beastie Boys, or maybe the Beastie Boys song is the derivative one, they both came out in 1986. The singles are great, most of the album tracks are great, this is a great album.

Another one that takes me back, having the cassette when I was in high school. Also introduced me to Aerosmith.

This is the best album they’ve recommended me. I am admittedly a huge rap fan, but even I was unprepared for the mastery that this album displayed. Don’t skip a track!

This was a killer album. I only had heard the singles and I like all of them - especially “It’s Tricky”, “You Be Illin’” and of course “Salk This Way” but man I loved “Peter Piper”, “Perfection” and “Raising Hell”. The drums and the guitar work was fantastic on the album which is to me is atypical on Hip-hop albums and why I’m not usually a fan of the genre but I’m guessing Rick Rubin is why the music is equal to the lyrics on this.

I had never heard the full album before, only two or three songs, but I would have been a big fan. I really appreciated the message and sentiment they conveyed through their music. 10 out of 10, will listen again!

It was fun

creative for that era

ok. number 100. 100 down, 1000 to go. a round of applause. so, "Raising Hell" by Run-D.M.C. i like the beat, i like the flow, i like the sampling, i like the version of "Walk This Way" on the album, and i can admit and 100% admit that it is a non-deniable influential hip-hop album. i hates modern rap but the 80s is just pure excitement. the only problem is that i am not wearing my adidas sneakers while listening to this at school. i am wearing a pair of cheaply made sneakers instead. 5/5

Day 1!!! I love it! I have heard forever how influential run DMC was to music but never really listened to much by them aside from the obvious one like its tricky and you be illin. Super good album I really enjoyed it! Feel good type of album

Catchy, rocking, comedic, passionate. An absolute joy of an album to listen to, with great song after great song. A ton of hidden gems on this album as well, and the radio hits are still great if overplayed. Overall fantastic album

Hells to the yes! Kings of hip hop. Creation of the mainstream hip hop rock collab. Love how they can have really fun tracks and also ones with a poignant message and both seem genuine representations of them as people. Favourite song: You Be Illin

Classic. Probably the first hip hop album I ever listened to as a kid

Iconic

This was one of the best rap albums I have ever listened to. These guys knew how to make the crowd get into it. Very good album. Is it live?

Yes, loved and we have a rap book for toddlers we use that has fun history of DMC and other artists