Run-DMC
In 1983, three young men from Hollis, Queens formed a group that would change music history. Joseph Simmons and Darryl McDaniels met Jason Mizell at Two-Fifths Park in the late 1970s. They rapped for local DJs who competed there every weekend. Mizell wore flashy clothes and had a b-boy attitude that attracted attention. He later decided to pursue music fame after some legal troubles as a teenager. Russell Simmons helped them record their first single called Street Kid. The song went unnoticed but sparked their enthusiasm for hip-hop. Simmons convinced McDaniels to start writing rhymes even though he refused public performance initially. By 1982 they graduated high school and started college together. They finally convinced Russell to let them record as a duo with Mizell joining as DJ. The name Run-D.M.C. came from Simmons's DJ name combined with letters from McDaniels's last name. The trio hated the name at first because it sounded like Weiner.
Run-DMC released their debut album in 1984 and became the first hip-hop group to achieve Gold status. Their follow-up King of Rock reached Platinum certification in 1985 making them the first rap act to do so. Raising Hell arrived in 1986 and became the first multi-platinum hip-hop record ever. The album peaked at number three on charts and sold millions of copies worldwide. A collaboration with Aerosmith on Walk This Way charted higher than the original version by the rock band. It reached number four on the Billboard Hot 100 and became one of the best-known songs in both genres. The music video for Rock Box was the first hip-hop video broadcast on MTV receiving heavy rotation. Run-DMC appeared on American Bandstand and covered Rolling Stone magazine before any other rap group. They performed at Live Aid shortly after Rock Box release proving their mainstream visibility. The group toured extensively despite violence between rival street gangs during the Raising Hell Tour.
Jason Mizell developed the sound on most Run-DMC songs according to The Guardian in 2012. He gave the group their street credential image that defined the next twenty-five years of fashion. Old school rappers wore tight leather chest-baring shirts gloves hats with rhinestones and spikes. Run-DMC discarded those glam aspects and incorporated Kangol hats Cazal glasses leather jackets and unlaced Adidas shoes. Simmons insisted the entire group follow Mizell's flashy yet street b-boy style when he saw it. The single My Adidas led to a $1,600,000 endorsement deal with Adidas forming a long-term relationship. This agreement marked the beginning of what we now know as hip-hop fashion. Followers like LL Cool J and Beastie Boys adopted jeans sneakers instead of rhinestone outfits overnight. Hip-hop's look remained married to styles from the streets including tracksuits rope chains baggy jeans and Timberland footwear. The group shunned over-the-top wardrobes of previous stars while embracing black fedoras and lace-less sneakers.
McDaniels struggled with alcoholism losing control to substance abuse during the late 1980s. Jay survived two gunshot wounds after an incident in 1990 following a life-threatening car accident. Simmons faced rape charges in Ohio in 1991 though they were later dropped. Both Simmons and McDaniels joined the church trying to steady their lives amid personal chaos. A three-year hiatus followed before they returned in 1993 with Down with the King entering charts at number one. McDaniels battled severe depression on tour in Europe in 1997 leading to prescription drug addiction. He contemplated suicide due to years of ongoing mental health struggles. Creative friction grew between Simmons wanting aggressive rock sounds and McDaniels seeking introspective singer-songwriter directions. DMC sat out most recording sessions in protest against these differences. Crown Royal released in 2001 featured only three appearances by DMC despite initial strong sales. Critics blasted the lack of his involvement even as some positive reviews emerged from Entertainment Weekly. Simmons abruptly quit hip-hop citing family growth and assistance with Russell's Phat Farm clothing imprint.
On the 30th of October 2002 Mizell was shot and killed inside his Queens recording studio. Fans set up memorials outside featuring Adidas sneakers albums and flowers. Simmons and McDaniels announced the official disbanding of Run-DMC following the tragedy. The murder remained unsolved until August 2020 when Ronald Washington and Karl Jordan Jr were arrested. They faced conviction for the crime in February 2024 after a lengthy legal process. A third suspect named Jay Bryant was charged in May 2023 but arranged for a separate trial. Testimony from neutral witness Yarrah Concepcion described a fight before the shooting occurred. DNA from Bryant appeared on a hat found next to Mizell's body according to prosecutors. Prosecutors later revealed that Mizell secretly became a high-kilo cocaine dealer in 1996 connecting his death to drug dealings. His family maintained he did not use drugs claiming the business paid expenses instead.
Rolling Stone ranked Run-DMC at number 48 in its list of 100 Greatest Artists of All Time in 2004. MTV named them The Greatest Hip-Hop Group of All Time in 2007 while VH1 called them Greatest Hip-Hop Artist of All Time. They became the second hip-hop group inducted into Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in April 2009 after Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five received the honor in 2007. In 2016 the group received Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award recognizing their decades of influence. Raising Hell entered National Recording Registry by Library of Congress in 2018 as culturally significant. Stephen Thomas Erlewine wrote that more than any other group they were responsible for hip-hop sound and style. Their sparse hard-hitting beats formed foundation of hardcore hip-hop dominating two decades from Public Enemy to Wu-Tang Clan. Rap rock fusion influenced bands like Rage Against the Machine KoRn Kid Rock Limp Bizkit and Linkin Park. A biographical film project began in 2009 with screenplay by Cheo Hodari Coker but never went into production. Simmons and McDaniels gave final performance at Yankee Stadium on the 11th of August 2023 during Hip Hip 50 celebration.
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Common questions
Who formed the hip-hop group Run-DMC and when did they meet?
Joseph Simmons, Darryl McDaniels, and Jason Mizell formed Run-DMC in 1983 after meeting at Two-Fifths Park in the late 1970s. The trio graduated high school together by 1982 before officially recording as a duo with Mizell joining as DJ.
What albums did Run-DMC release and how many certifications did they achieve?
Run-DMC released their debut album in 1984 which became Gold status followed by King of Rock reaching Platinum certification in 1985. Their 1986 album Raising Hell became the first multi-platinum hip-hop record ever selling millions of copies worldwide.
How did Run-DMC influence fashion and what endorsement deal did they secure?
Jason Mizell developed the sound on most songs while discarding glam aspects to incorporate Kangol hats Cazal glasses leather jackets and unlaced Adidas shoes. The single My Adidas led to a $1,600,000 endorsement deal with Adidas forming a long-term relationship that marked the beginning of hip-hop fashion.
When was Jason Mizell killed and who were arrested for his murder?
On the 30th of October 2002 Mizell was shot and killed inside his Queens recording studio. Ronald Washington and Karl Jordan Jr were arrested in August 2020 and faced conviction for the crime in February 2024 after a lengthy legal process.
What honors has Run-DMC received from major music organizations?
Rolling Stone ranked Run-DMC at number 48 in its list of 100 Greatest Artists of All Time in 2004 while MTV named them The Greatest Hip-Hop Group of All Time in 2007. They became the second hip-hop group inducted into Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in April 2009 and received Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016.