Run DMC Celebrating 40 Years In The Hip Hop Culture
Run DMC on stage in front of thousands of fans. There's not a person sitting down in the entire venue.
Run DMC has a reason to celebrate their contributions to the hip-hop culture. As we continue to recognize almost 51 years of hip-hop this dynamic group has put in 40 years.
Run DMC Created A Style And Swag
Hip-hop is more than a genre, It’s a way of life, and I can’t help but think of what they have done for this culture.
From DJs to MCs, breakdancers, graffiti artists, and more. Hip-hop raised a culture of young men and women and taught us how to be expressive. One group in particular was RUN DMC, formed in 1983 by Joseph Simmons, Daryl McDaniels, and the late great Jason Myzell, also known as Jam Master Jay, who mastered the beats behind the group. They created a style and a swag that most kids emulated.
Everyone in that era wore shell-toe Adidas with either fat laces or no laces at all. Nameplate belt buckles and bucket hats told everyone that you were either a Run DMC fan or an inspired rapper.
Run DMC Live performances
The first concert I attended was Run DMC in 1982 in Los Angeles, California. Jam Master Jay commanded everyone’s full attention. The way he would spin, scratch, and drop beats had everyone hyped. By the time Run and Daryl Mac hit the stage, there wasn’t a person in the building sitting down. The energy was crazy! That’s when I realized I wanted to be a DJ.
Today we celebrate 40 years of Run DMC and what they have done for Hip-hop.
Run DMC inspired so many artists such as L.L. Cool J, The Beastie Boys, and even West Coast pioneers such as N.W.A. They’re the first hip-hop group to achieve gold, platinum, and multi-platinum records according to Tolediolibrary.org.
Now is the time to put on those Adidas sneakers, Zip up that sweatsuit, and take it back to 1983 when the group introduced Sucker MCs as B-side to “It’s Like That”. The two-sided release was the start of Run-D.M.C.’s career as their first single.
The Fallen Soldier Of The Group
Jam Master Jay passed away at the age of 37 on October 30th, 2002 when he was shot in his Queens, New York recording studio. According to cbsnews.com, a jury found two men guilty on all counts in his murder trial. Prosecutors say that Jam Master Jay’s godson, Carl Jordan Jr., and his childhood friend, Ronald Washington, killed him after he cut them out of a cocaine trafficking deal.
While many celebrated the guilty verdict, others said Justice came at a price, the jury spent three days deliberating, one of the most elusive murders in hip-hop history.
Nevertheless, Jam Master Jay is, and will always be a legend. He is the reason why I started DJing. Congratulations to Run DMC on their 40th anniversary. And what they’ve contributed to the culture and genre of hip pop.
Marlon "DJ Thump" Rice is a morning show host on Jammin’ 105.7 "Thump In The Morning!" He has been with the station for the past six years and has been inducted into the Nevada Broadcasters Hall of Fame class of 2019. DJ Thump has toured with R&B legend Al B. Sure! As his music director. As a content creator for Jammin’ 105.7, DJ Thump writes articles on sports, preferably the Las Vegas Raiders and the world champion Las Vegas Aces. DJ Thump writes about the local community (which he is heavily involved in) as well as local Black-owned businesses.
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