The Greatest 50 Hip-hop Albums Ever - #13...

[Twentytwofifty]

Run-D.M.C. - Raising Hell (1986) 


    By their third album, Run-D.M.C. were primed for a breakthrough into the mainstream, but nobody was prepared for a blockbuster on the level of Raising Hell.  Run-D.M.C. and King Of Rock had established the crew's fusion of hip-hop and hard rock, but that sound didn't blossom until Raising Hell, partially due to the presence of Rick Rubin as producer.  Rubin loved metal and rap in equal measures and he knew how to play to the strengths of both, while slipping in commercial concessions that seemed sly even when they borrowed from songs as familiar as "My Sharona" (heard on "It's Tricky").  Along with longtime Run-D.M.C. producer Russell Simmons, Rubin blew down the doors of what hip-hop could do with Raising Hell because it reached beyond rap-rock and found all sorts of sounds outside of it.  Sonically, there is simply more going on in this album than any previous rap record — more hooks, more drum loops (courtesy of ace drum programmer Sam Sever), more scratching, more riffs, more of everything.  Where other rap records, including Run-D.M.C.'s, were all about the rhythm, this is layered with sounds and ideas, giving the music a tangible flow.  But the brilliance of this record is that even with this increased musical depth, it still rocks as hard as hell, and in a manner that brought in a new audience.  Even if you're not into Run-D.M.C. you've probably heard some of the hits like "Peter Piper", "My Adidas" and "It's Tricky".  "You Be Illin'" is still flat-out hilarious, and the heavy 808 bass drop of "Dumb Girl" can still bust the tweeters of any sound system.  But the trump card was "Walk This Way", complete with Aerosmith's Steven Tyler and Joe Perry, helped matters considerably, since it gave an audience unfamiliar with rap an entry point, but if it was just a novelty record, a one-shot fusion of rap and rock, Raising Hell would never have sold three million copies.  No, the music was fully realized and thoroughly invigorating, rocking harder and better than any of its rock or rap peers in 1986, and years later, that sense of excitement is still palpable on this towering success story for rap in general and Run-D.M.C. in specific.


50. Dr. Dre – 2001 (1999)
49. Outkast – Southernplayalisticaddicmuzik (1994)
48. Jay-Z – Reasonable Doubt (1996)
47. Kool G Rap & DJ Polo – Wanted: Dead Or Alive (1990)
46. Redman – Whut? Thee Album (1992)
45. De La Soul - De La Soul Is Dead (1991)
44. Fugees – The Score (1996)
43. The D.O.C. – No One Can Do It Better (1989)
42. Common Sense - Resurrection (1994)
41. Makaveli - The Don Kiluminati: The 7 Day Theory (1996)
40. Public Enemy – Fear Of A Black Planet (1990)
39. Ice Cube – Death Certificate (1992)
38. Gza/Genius - Liquid Swords (1995)
37. N.W.A – Efil4zaggin (1991)
36. Main Source – Breaking Atoms (1991)
35. Geto Boys – Grip It! On That Other Level (1989)
34. Brand Nubian – One For All (1990)
33. Scarface – The Diary (1994)
32. Kool G Rap & DJ Polo – Road To The Riches (1989)
31. Beastie Boys – Licensed To Ill (1986)
30. Ultramagnetic MC's – Critical Beatdown (1988)
29. LL Cool J – Radio (1985)
28. 2Pac – All Eyez On Me (1996)
27. Mobb Deep – The Infamous… (1995)
26. Eric B. & Rakim – Follow The Leader (1988)
25. Big Daddy Kane – It’s A Big Daddy (1989)
24. Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth – Mecca And The Soul Brother (1992)
23. Black Moon – Enta Da Stage (1993)
22. Outkast – Aquemini (1998)
21. A Tribe Called Quest – People’s Instinctive Travels And The Paths Of Rhythm (1990)
20. Run-D.M.C. – Run-D.M.C. (1984)
19. Boogie Down Productions – By All Means Necessary (1988)
18. Raekwon – Only Built 4 Cuban Linx… (1995)
17. De La Soul – 3 Feet High And Rising (1989)
16. Snoop Doggy Dogg – Doggystyle (1993)
15. Ice Cube – AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted (1990)
14. The Notorious B.I.G. – Ready To Die (1994)
13. Run-D.M.C. – Raising Hell (1986)

[Lincoln]

Sweet album. Good spot.

[West Coast Veteran]

This album and LL Cool J - Bigger And Deffer were the first albums I ever bought.

[Wicked977]

dope album

[Acgrundy]

just curious c2knuckles, how old are you?

[Elevz]

The album that's responsible for artists like Linkin Park 

Oh well, this sure is a great and groundbreaking record. Definately deserves its spot here.

[ImmortalOne]

This is probably about right for this album.

If we are just talking about pure impact, it would be higher, but if you put everything together, this spot is about right. Production and content are obviously dated somewhat but still a landmark record nonetheless.

[eS El Duque]

Tight album..keep em comin..props

[Wessia4LiaNia Chieee Chieee]

about this album i can't say nuhtin, but "Death certificate" on 39....damn...you may remake the list

[Twentytwofifty]

just curious c2knuckles, how old are you?

24

[ToOoOoN!!!]

my first rap album! classic shit right here!

[Don Jacob]

classic album