Run-D.M.C. (album)

Run-D.M.C. is the self-titled debut album by American hip hop group Run-D.M.C., released on March 27, 1984, by Profile Records. It is considered a landmark album in hip hop history, credited with solidifying the genre's foundation and popularizing it to a wider audience.

The album features a minimalist sound, relying heavily on drum machine beats, sparse samples, and the aggressive, call-and-response vocal interplay of Run (Joseph Simmons) and D.M.C. (Darryl McDaniels). It eschewed the funk and disco influences prevalent in earlier hip hop, opting for a harder, more street-oriented sound.

Key tracks on the album include "Rock Box," which blended rap with heavy metal guitar riffs; "Hard Times," a socially conscious commentary on poverty; "30 Days," a showcase of the group's lyrical skills; and "Sucker M.C.'s," a stripped-down anthem that defined the group's raw energy.

Run-D.M.C. was a commercial success, reaching number 53 on the Billboard 200 chart and earning gold certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) within a year of its release. It established Run-D.M.C. as major figures in hip hop and paved the way for the commercial breakthrough of future hip hop acts. The album's influence can be heard in subsequent generations of hip hop artists, and it is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most important hip hop albums of all time.