Kings From Queens
When Run DMC emerged in 1983, they incited a paradigm shift in how rap records were produced and created. Their stripped-down, drum machine-only sound, courtesy of super producer Larry Smith, initiated an era of drum machine-dominant production.
This period lasted for more than four years until sampling technology became affordable. Their fusion of rock guitars and drum machines turned them into mainstays on MTV, where Hip-Hop and Black music in general were virtually nonexistent initially. While Profile Records had released Rap and Dance records before signing Run-DMC, it was certainly Run and D who made the label a formidable entity in the burgeoning Rap industry.
Their look, inspired by their DJ, Jam Master Jay, replaced the "costume" attire of some of their predecessors and motivated their fanbase to imitate their influential dress style, complete with Adidas, gold rope chains, and fedora hats. Run-DMC helped create and define one of Hip-Hop's most memorable and revered eras.
Don't miss the legendary duo performing live with LL COOL J and DJ Z-Trip at this year's Rock The Bells Festival on August 5 at Forest Hills Stadium in Queens, NY.