The first
hardcore rap outfit, Run DMC, shaped the sound and style of the hiphop genre like no other group for the years to come. The trio set the foundations for the
political rap of
Public Enemy and
Boogie Down Productions, as well as for the hedonistic fantasies of N.W.A.. At the same time, they were responsible for a shift of focus in the hiphop genre from singles to albums, being the first hiphop outfit to construct full albums instead of single collections with some added filler tracks. By the late 80s, many groups that Run D.M.C. had initially had influenced managed to gain even bigger successes than the trio itself, which nevertheless continued to perform for their dedicated fan community until well into the 90s. All three members of Run-D.M.C. were natives of the middle-class New York borough of Hollis, Queens. After a long studio hiatus, the group returned in early 2000 with "Crown Royal". The album did not achieve large sales numbers, but the following promotional efforts saw them join
Aerosmith and
Kid Rock for a blockbuster performance on MTV. By 2002, the release of two greatest-hits albums prompted a tour with Aerosmith that saw both groups travel the U.S. together, always performing 'Walk This Way' to transition between the two groups. Sadly, only a few weeks after the end of the tour, Jam Master Jay was murdered during a studio session in Queens. Only 37 years old, the news of his passing spread quickly and hip-hop luminaries like
Big Daddy Kane and
Funkmaster Flex paid tribute to him on New York’s radio stations. Possibly the most visible DJ in the history of hip-hop, his death was truly the end of an era and perpetuated the cycle of violence that has haunted the genre since the late 80s.
