Greatest Hits - Run DMC

...read a review of their Greatest Hits album in a Sunday paper. The critic spoke very highly of them, but since I knew very little about the band (and hip-hop wasn't really my scene) I decided to do a little bit of background research before deciding whether to buy. Here's a little of what I found out.


RUN DMC FACTS

Band Members:
Run (Joseph Simmons)
DMC (Darryl McDaniels)
Jam Master Jay (Jason ...
...albums in total (not including greatest hits compilations).

They were the first rap act to have a platinum selling album, get on MTV (a rarity for black artists in any field at the time), appear on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine, and were the only ones asked to perform at Live Aid.

They have appeared in two films, Krush Groove (1985) and Tougher Than Leather (1988).

They are considered by many to ... more

I first heard of Run DMC in 1998 when a remix of their song "It's Like That" stormed the UK charts - it was the one with the cool break-dancing video, remember?

Anyhoo, I kinda forgot about them until a few weeks ago, when I read a review of their Greatest Hits album in a Sunday paper. The critic spoke very highly of them, but since I knew very little about the band (and hip-hop wasn't really my scene) I decided to do a little bit of background research before deciding whether to buy. Here's a little of what I found out.

RUN DMC FACTS

Band Members:
Run (Joseph Simmons)
DMC (Darryl McDaniels)
Jam Master Jay (Jason Mizell)

Unlike the stereotypical rapper, these three did not hail from "the ghetto", but rather from the middle class neighbourhoods of Hollis, Queens, N.Y.

The trio released their first single, the aforementioned "It's Like That", in 1983.

Run DMC released seven albums in total (not including greatest hits compilations).

They were the first rap act to have a platinum selling album, get on MTV (a rarity for black artists in any field at the time), appear on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine, and were the only ones asked to perform at Live Aid.

They have appeared in two films, Krush Groove (1985) and Tougher Than Leather (1988).

They are considered by many to be the greatest hip-hop group ever, and certainly the first to cross the traditional class/race barriers and achieve widespread popularity.

Sadly, on Wednesday 10th October 2002, band member Jam Master Jay was gunned down and killed on the street. His murder provoked a sense of bewilderment, as Run DMC as a group had always steered clear of the "drugs and crime" mindset of other similarly-fated performers (Tupac, Notorious B.I.G etc.). To date, no-one has been charged with the crime.

THE ALBUM

The album itself is packed full of fantastic songs, incorporating Run DMC's signature, and at the time revolutionary, metal guitar and hard drum-beat stylings. The sometimes poetic lyrics and catchy tunes are a joy to behold, without a swear word, drug boast, or crime reference to offend - in fact, one of the first things I noticed about the album was the lack of "Parental Advisory" label on the cover. The songs appear to me to be more joyful and lighter in tone than any of the subsequent performers they inspired (Eminem?), which is one of the main reasons why I enjoyed the album so much.

SONG LIST

1. KING OF ROCK (excellent opening tune, sets the scene)
2. IT'S TRICKY (fans of console game "SSX TRICKY" should recognise this one)
3. BEATS TO THE RHYME
4. CAN YOU ROCK IT LIKE THIS
5. WALK THIS WAY (remix of Aerosmith classic - single-handedly revived the ailing rock giants' career)
6. RUN'S HOUSE (the reason behind my title)
7. ROCK BOX
8. PETER PIPER (some excellent tongue-twisting nursery rhyme lyrics)
9. MARY, MARY
10. HARD TIMES (sounds a little too much like "IT'S LIKE THAT" for me)
11. YOU BE ILLIN'(not sure what illin' is exactly, good song though!)
12. IT'S LIKE THAT (probably my favourite)
13. MY ADIDAS (seriously boosted sales in Adidas trainers and chunky gold chains!)
14. SUCKER M.C.'S (KRUSH GROOVE 1)
15. YOU TALK TOO MUCH (In my opinion (and this is my opinion!) the relative low point of the album - I find it a bit repetitive)
16. JAM MASTER JAY
17. DOWN WITH THE KING
18. CHRISTMAS IN HOLLIS (the best Christmas song EVER!! Played in "Die Hard" movie)

PRESENTATION & PRICE

The CD is presented in a very well designed way, with the booklet showing some nice pictures of the band together.
I paid £8.99 for the album from Play.com

SUMMARY

Even as a non rap-fan I found most of the songs on this album to be extremely catchy and memorable. I would recommend Run DMC - Greatest Hits to hip-hop fans plus anyone who, like me, has a diverse taste in music and isn't put off by genre or reputation. Still, as a geeky milk-bottle-white-guy, I do get some funny looks when I cruise down the street with this blaring out of my wee car stereo!

'Nuff Respect,
Alex 

...less