Hello,
Today's Artists are an American hip hop group from Hollis, Queens, New York, founded in 1983 by Joseph Simmons, Darryl McDaniels, and Jason Mizell. They are widely acknowledged as one of the most influential acts in the history of hip hop culture and one of the most famous hip hop acts of the 1980s. Along with LL Cool J, the Beastie Boys, and Public Enemy, the group pioneered new school hip hop music. They were the first group in the genre to have an album certified gold and to be nominated for a Grammy Award. They were the first to earn a platinum record (King of Rock, 1985), the first to earn a multi-platinum certification (Raising Hell, 1986), the first to have their music videos broadcast on MTV, and the first to appear on American Bandstand and the cover of Rolling Stone magazine. The group was among the first to highlight the importance of the MC and DJ relationship. In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked them #48 in their list of the greatest musical artists of all time. In 2007, the group was named "The Greatest Hip Hop Group of All Time" by MTV and "Greatest Hip Hop Artist of All Time" by VH1. In 2009, they became the second hip hop group to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In 2016, thanks to making the industry lots of money , they received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. ...... N Joy
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More than any other hip-hop group, Run-D.M.C. are responsible for the sound and style of the music. As the first hardcore rap outfit, the trio set the sound and style for the next decade of rap. With their spare beats and excursions into heavy metal samples, the trio were tougher and more menacing than their predecessors Grandmaster Flash and Whodini. In the process, they opened the door for both the politicized rap of Public Enemy and Boogie Down Productions, as well as the hedonistic gangsta fantasies of N.W.A. At the same time, Run-D.M.C. helped move rap from a singles-oriented genre to an album-oriented one -- they were the first hip-hop artist to construct full-fledged albums, not just collections with two singles and a bunch of filler. By the end of the '80s, Run-D.M.C. had been overtaken by the groups they had spawned, but they continued to perform to a dedicated following well into the '90s.
All three members of Run-D.M.C. were natives of the middle-class New York borough Hollis, Queens. Run (born Joseph Simmons, November 14, 1964) was the brother of Russell Simmons, who formed the hip-hop management company Rush Productions in the early '80s; by the mid-'80s, Russell had formed the pioneering record label Def Jam with Rick Rubin. Russell encouraged his brother Joey and his friend Darryl McDaniels (born May 31, 1964) to form a rap duo. The pair of friends did just that, adopting the names Run and D.M.C., respectively. After they graduated from high school in 1982, the pair enlisted their friend Jason Mizell (born January 21, 1965) to scratch turntables; Mizell adopted the stage name Jam Master Jay.
In 1983, Run-D.M.C. released their first single, "It's Like That"/"Sucker M.C.'s," on Profile Records. The single sounded like no other rap at the time -- it was spare, blunt, and skillful, with hard beats and powerful, literate, daring vocals, where Run and D.M.C.'s vocals overlapped, as they finished each other's lines. It was the first "new school" hip-hop recording. "It's Like That" became a Top 20 R&B hit, as did the group's second single, "Hard Times"/"Jam Master Jay." Two other hit R&B singles followed in early 1984 -- "Rock Box" and "30 Days" -- before the group's eponymous debut appeared.
By the time of their second album, 1985's King of Rock, Run-D.M.C. had become the most popular and influential rappers in America, already spawning a number of imitators. As the King of Rock title suggests, the group were breaking down the barriers between rock & roll and rap, rapping over heavy metal records and thick, dense drum loops. Besides releasing the King of Rock album and scoring the R&B hits "King of Rock," "You Talk Too Much," and "Can You Rock It Like This" in 1985, the group also appeared in the rap movie Krush Groove, which also featured Kurtis Blow, the Beastie Boys, and the Fat Boys.
Run-D.M.C.'s fusion of rock and rap broke into the mainstream with their third album, 1986's Raising Hell. The album was preceded by the Top Ten R&B single "My Adidas," which set the stage for the group's biggest hit single, a cover of Aerosmith's "Walk This Way." Recorded with Aerosmith's Steven Tyler and Joe Perry, "Walk This Way" was the first hip-hop record to appeal to both rockers and rappers, as evidenced by its peak position of number four on the pop charts. In the wake of the success of "Walk This Way," Raising Hell became the first rap album to reach number one on the R&B charts, to chart in the pop Top Ten, and to go platinum, and Run-D.M.C. were the first rap act to received airplay on MTV -- they were the first rappers to cross over into the pop mainstream. Raising Hell also spawned the hit singles "You Be Illin'" and "It's Tricky."
Run-D.M.C. spent most of 1987 recording Tougher Than Leather, their follow-up to Raising Hell. Tougher Than Leather was accompanied by a movie of the same name. Starring Run-D.M.C., the film was an affectionate parody of '70s blaxploitation films. Although Run-D.M.C. had been at the height of their popularity when they were recording and filming Tougher Than Leather, by the time the project was released, the rap world had changed. Most of the hip-hop audience wanted to hear hardcore political rappers like Public Enemy, not crossover artists like Run-D.M.C. Consequently, the film bombed and the album only went platinum, failing to spawn any significant hit singles.
Two years after Tougher Than Leather, Run-D.M.C. returned with Back From Hell, which became their first album not to go platinum. Following its release, both Run and D.M.C. suffered personal problems as McDaniels suffered a bout of alcoholism and Simmons was accused of rape. After McDaniels sobered up and the charges against Simmons were dismissed, both of the rappers became born-again Christians, touting their religious conversion on the 1993 album Down With the King. Featuring guest appearances and production assistance from artists as diverse as Public Enemy, EPMD, Naughty by Nature, A Tribe Called Quest, Neneh Cherry, Pete Rock, and KRS-One, Down With the King became the comeback Run-D.M.C. needed. The title track became a Top Ten R&B hit and the album went gold, peaking at number 21. Although they were no longer hip-hop innovators, the success of Down With the King proved that Run-D.M.C. were still respected pioneers.
After a long studio hiatus, the trio returned in early 2000 with Crown Royal. The album did little to add to their ailing record sales, 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 them travel the U.S., always performing "Walk This Way" to transition between their sets. Sadly, only weeks after the end of the tour, Jam Master Jay was senselessly murdered in a studio session in Queens. Only 37 years old, the news of his passing spread quick and hip-hop luminaries like Big Daddy Kane and Funkmaster Flex took the time to pay tribute to him on New York radio stations. Possibly the most visible DJ in the history of hip-hop, his death was truly the end of an era and unfortunately perpetuated the cycle of violence that has haunted the genre since the late '80s.
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After the disappointing sales of Tougher Than Leather (which still went platinum), Run-D.M.C. felt that their style was becoming out of fashion and they noticed how fast hip-hop was moving ahead of them. What did they do? Jump on whatever trend there was for the moment with 1990's Back From Hell. They try their hands at some more groovy style of hip-hop. They use much more profanity, their lyrics are still braggadocios with a positive message here and there. Run and DMC are not having quite the same great chemistry as before and are nowhere as energetic as before. The production is just too soft for their style and doesn't quite fit but then again I can't blame them. Their style was going out of fashion and even if they'd try something new, they would most likely be ignored. There are still some good material here, so don't sleep. It's just nowhere close to matching their previous four albums or even the followup. Back From Hell doesn't rescue them from going to the hip-hop hell, it just buries them there as it was a commercial failure and they became one of the fastest "old news" pioneers in the extremely fast moving hip-hop world. Still, they are pioneers that deserve much love and therefore, this album is still worth looking into.
Run DMC - Back From Hell (flac 347mb)
01 Sucker D.J.'s 0:50
02 The Ave. 4:01
03 What's It All About 4:48
04 Bob Your Head 3:47
05 Faces 4:27
06 Kick the Frama Lama Lama 3:09
07 Pause 4:38
08 Word Is Born 2:53
09 Back From Hell 3:01
10 Don't Stop 4:37
11 Groove to the Sound 3:34
12 P Upon a Tree 0:44
13 Naughty 4:08
14 Livin' in the City 1:03
15 Not Just Another Groove 4:19
16 Party Time 4:34
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By 1993 the hip hop world had come a long way from where it was when Run-D.M.C. first hit the scene nearly a decade earlier. Sampling had become an art, rap had become hugely commercial, and the gangster life dominated. What's surprising is how well these guys did adapt. The album that precedes Down with the King (the mostly wretched Back from Hell) is bad and a bad imitation that doesn't sound sincere. I don't know how much more convicing they are on this outing talking about guns and bitches and the like, but it's more fluid, it's more confident, and it's a pretty good record. Make sure to check out "Big Willie" with its amazing guitar solo from Rage guitarist Tom Morello and "Ooh, Whatcha Gonna Do" the production of which apes Dr. Dre quite nicely.
Run DMC - Down With The King . (flac 302mb)
01 Down With the King 5:02
02 Come on Everybody 4:30
03 Can I Get It, Yo 3:31
04 Hit 'Em Hard 2:53
05 To the Maker 0:24
06 3 in the Head 3:29
07 Ooh, Whatcha Gonna Do 3:08
08 Big Willie 4:28
09 Three Little Indians 3:07
10 In the House 3:38
11 Can I Get a Witness 3:36
12 Get Open 3:52
13 What's Next 4:04
14 Wreck Shop 3:13
15 For 10 Years 0:38
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Being one of the most beloved hip-hop groups ever assembled has certainly become a double-edged sword for Run-D.M.C. As one of the culture's most influential groups, the names of Run, D.M.C., and Jam Master Jay immediately garner a certain degree of well-earned respect. Conversely, it has also put the trio under an incredibly intense microscope, a dissection that will become more exacerbated with the shameful Crown Royal. With virtually no input from D.M.C. (he appears on a sparse three tracks) Crown Royal spirals so recklessly into contrasting segments that it's easy to forget you are even listening to a Run-D.M.C. record. Lacking any discernible sense of direction or continuity, the once cutting-edge trio has seemingly lost touch with its original fan base. They miserably play the role of alternative genre rockers on "Rock Show" (featuring Stephan Jenkins) and "Here We Go" (featuring Sugar Ray). And though tracks with Limp Bizkit's Fred Durst ("Them Girls") and Kid Rock ("The School of Old") may eventually strike a chord with TRL fanatics, the groupings lack ingenuity and conviction. So what's left for the fan who was weaned on Run-D.M.C.? Not much! Sure, they throw the hip-hop populace a few bones on "It's Over" (featuring JD), "Queens Day" (featuring Nas and Prodigy), and "Simmons Incorporated" (featuring Method Man). But even these mediocre offerings are not nearly enough to satisfy any of their loyal supporters. If hip-hop has proven anything since its inception, it's that few MCs or groups age gracefully. Hopefully, with its legacy still somewhat intact, Run-D.M.C. will now trade in the shell-toed Adidas, fat gold chains, and leather pants for a long overdue and deserved bow.
Run DMC - Crown Royal (flac 320mb)
01 It's Over feat. Jermaine Dupri 3:40
02 Queens Day feat. Nas & Prodigy 4:18
03 Crown Royal 3:13
04 Them Girls feat. Fred Durst 3:33
05 The School of Old feat. Kid Rock 3:20
06 Take the Money and Run feat. Everlast 3:48
07 Rock Show feat. Stephan Jenkins 3:14
08 Here We Go 2001 feat. Sugar Ray 3:21
09 Ahhh feat. Chris Davis 4:21
10 Let's Stay Together (Together Forever) feat. Jagged Edge 3:19
11 Ay Papi feat. Fat Joe 3:16
12 Simmons Incorporated feat. Method Man 4:56
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After releasing the rightfully ignored Crown Royal, his pioneering group Run-D.M.C. ended in tragedy with the murder of Jam Master Jay. Toward the end, mounting issues -- including a medical condition affecting his voice -- made him consider suicide. Then he's rescued by music only to be blind-sided by the news he's adopted. Reflecting on all he's been through, DMC is 100 percent genuine on Checks Thugs and Rock N Roll, but he's heartbreakingly lost his voice, his lyrical skills, and his awareness of the music scene around him. His solo debut sounds like the most contrived rock and rap blends that major-label execs declared the future of music back in the mid-'90s, with touches of P.M. Dawn at their most woeful and indulgent. The opening "Watchtower" finds Cars guitarist Elliot Easton and Buckcherry vocalist Josh Todd sterilely interpolating Hendrix's "All Along the Watchtower" while DMC clumsily offers the first of many "what's gone wrong with the world?" raps. "Just Like Me" with Sarah McLachlan -- whose song "Angel" saved DMC's life, according to the man himself -- follows the same blueprint, but this time it's worse, with an interpolation of Harry Chapin's "Cat in the Cradle," sitars, and thin, maudlin lyrics all drowning in excess. Checks is nothing if not ambitious, but it only works when it decides to just hang out and have some fun. "Lovey Dovey" with Doug E. Fresh is a light weekend track that nails it, while "Machine Gun" brings the album into the 21st century with Ms. Jade and Sonny Black effortlessly delivering one of the album's few street-worthy moments. Also of note is Rev Run's guest shot on "Come 2 Gether," a painfully uneven effort for longtime fans, with Run holding back but still outshining his partner. The best thing you can say about this letdown is that DMC's commitment to changing the world and opening eyes is admirable and attractive, but sadly, his skills are blunted and he's not up to the challenge.
DMC - Checks Thugs and Rock n Roll (flac 381mb)
01 Watchtower feat Josh Todd 3:54
02 Freaky Chick 3:46
03 Just Like Me feat. Sarah McLachlan 4:52
04 Lovey Dovey feat. Doug E. Fresh 4:56
05 Find My Way feat. Kid Rock 4:58
06 Machine Gun feat. Gary Dourdan 4:52
07 Cold feat. Ms. Jade 4:12
08 What's Wrong feat. Napoleon 3:45
09 Cadillac Cars 4:39
10 Only God Knows 4:18
11 Come 2Gether feat. Rev Run 4:16
12 Sucka Sucka 4:16
13 Good Bye feat. Lil Mizzo 4:56
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Today's Artists are an American hip hop group from Hollis, Queens, New York, founded in 1983 by Joseph Simmons, Darryl McDaniels, and Jason Mizell. They are widely acknowledged as one of the most influential acts in the history of hip hop culture and one of the most famous hip hop acts of the 1980s. Along with LL Cool J, the Beastie Boys, and Public Enemy, the group pioneered new school hip hop music. They were the first group in the genre to have an album certified gold and to be nominated for a Grammy Award. They were the first to earn a platinum record (King of Rock, 1985), the first to earn a multi-platinum certification (Raising Hell, 1986), the first to have their music videos broadcast on MTV, and the first to appear on American Bandstand and the cover of Rolling Stone magazine. The group was among the first to highlight the importance of the MC and DJ relationship. In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked them #48 in their list of the greatest musical artists of all time. In 2007, the group was named "The Greatest Hip Hop Group of All Time" by MTV and "Greatest Hip Hop Artist of All Time" by VH1. In 2009, they became the second hip hop group to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In 2016, thanks to making the industry lots of money , they received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. ...... N Joy
xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx
More than any other hip-hop group, Run-D.M.C. are responsible for the sound and style of the music. As the first hardcore rap outfit, the trio set the sound and style for the next decade of rap. With their spare beats and excursions into heavy metal samples, the trio were tougher and more menacing than their predecessors Grandmaster Flash and Whodini. In the process, they opened the door for both the politicized rap of Public Enemy and Boogie Down Productions, as well as the hedonistic gangsta fantasies of N.W.A. At the same time, Run-D.M.C. helped move rap from a singles-oriented genre to an album-oriented one -- they were the first hip-hop artist to construct full-fledged albums, not just collections with two singles and a bunch of filler. By the end of the '80s, Run-D.M.C. had been overtaken by the groups they had spawned, but they continued to perform to a dedicated following well into the '90s.
All three members of Run-D.M.C. were natives of the middle-class New York borough Hollis, Queens. Run (born Joseph Simmons, November 14, 1964) was the brother of Russell Simmons, who formed the hip-hop management company Rush Productions in the early '80s; by the mid-'80s, Russell had formed the pioneering record label Def Jam with Rick Rubin. Russell encouraged his brother Joey and his friend Darryl McDaniels (born May 31, 1964) to form a rap duo. The pair of friends did just that, adopting the names Run and D.M.C., respectively. After they graduated from high school in 1982, the pair enlisted their friend Jason Mizell (born January 21, 1965) to scratch turntables; Mizell adopted the stage name Jam Master Jay.
In 1983, Run-D.M.C. released their first single, "It's Like That"/"Sucker M.C.'s," on Profile Records. The single sounded like no other rap at the time -- it was spare, blunt, and skillful, with hard beats and powerful, literate, daring vocals, where Run and D.M.C.'s vocals overlapped, as they finished each other's lines. It was the first "new school" hip-hop recording. "It's Like That" became a Top 20 R&B hit, as did the group's second single, "Hard Times"/"Jam Master Jay." Two other hit R&B singles followed in early 1984 -- "Rock Box" and "30 Days" -- before the group's eponymous debut appeared.
By the time of their second album, 1985's King of Rock, Run-D.M.C. had become the most popular and influential rappers in America, already spawning a number of imitators. As the King of Rock title suggests, the group were breaking down the barriers between rock & roll and rap, rapping over heavy metal records and thick, dense drum loops. Besides releasing the King of Rock album and scoring the R&B hits "King of Rock," "You Talk Too Much," and "Can You Rock It Like This" in 1985, the group also appeared in the rap movie Krush Groove, which also featured Kurtis Blow, the Beastie Boys, and the Fat Boys.
Run-D.M.C.'s fusion of rock and rap broke into the mainstream with their third album, 1986's Raising Hell. The album was preceded by the Top Ten R&B single "My Adidas," which set the stage for the group's biggest hit single, a cover of Aerosmith's "Walk This Way." Recorded with Aerosmith's Steven Tyler and Joe Perry, "Walk This Way" was the first hip-hop record to appeal to both rockers and rappers, as evidenced by its peak position of number four on the pop charts. In the wake of the success of "Walk This Way," Raising Hell became the first rap album to reach number one on the R&B charts, to chart in the pop Top Ten, and to go platinum, and Run-D.M.C. were the first rap act to received airplay on MTV -- they were the first rappers to cross over into the pop mainstream. Raising Hell also spawned the hit singles "You Be Illin'" and "It's Tricky."
Run-D.M.C. spent most of 1987 recording Tougher Than Leather, their follow-up to Raising Hell. Tougher Than Leather was accompanied by a movie of the same name. Starring Run-D.M.C., the film was an affectionate parody of '70s blaxploitation films. Although Run-D.M.C. had been at the height of their popularity when they were recording and filming Tougher Than Leather, by the time the project was released, the rap world had changed. Most of the hip-hop audience wanted to hear hardcore political rappers like Public Enemy, not crossover artists like Run-D.M.C. Consequently, the film bombed and the album only went platinum, failing to spawn any significant hit singles.
Two years after Tougher Than Leather, Run-D.M.C. returned with Back From Hell, which became their first album not to go platinum. Following its release, both Run and D.M.C. suffered personal problems as McDaniels suffered a bout of alcoholism and Simmons was accused of rape. After McDaniels sobered up and the charges against Simmons were dismissed, both of the rappers became born-again Christians, touting their religious conversion on the 1993 album Down With the King. Featuring guest appearances and production assistance from artists as diverse as Public Enemy, EPMD, Naughty by Nature, A Tribe Called Quest, Neneh Cherry, Pete Rock, and KRS-One, Down With the King became the comeback Run-D.M.C. needed. The title track became a Top Ten R&B hit and the album went gold, peaking at number 21. Although they were no longer hip-hop innovators, the success of Down With the King proved that Run-D.M.C. were still respected pioneers.
After a long studio hiatus, the trio returned in early 2000 with Crown Royal. The album did little to add to their ailing record sales, 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 them travel the U.S., always performing "Walk This Way" to transition between their sets. Sadly, only weeks after the end of the tour, Jam Master Jay was senselessly murdered in a studio session in Queens. Only 37 years old, the news of his passing spread quick and hip-hop luminaries like Big Daddy Kane and Funkmaster Flex took the time to pay tribute to him on New York radio stations. Possibly the most visible DJ in the history of hip-hop, his death was truly the end of an era and unfortunately perpetuated the cycle of violence that has haunted the genre since the late '80s.
xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx
After the disappointing sales of Tougher Than Leather (which still went platinum), Run-D.M.C. felt that their style was becoming out of fashion and they noticed how fast hip-hop was moving ahead of them. What did they do? Jump on whatever trend there was for the moment with 1990's Back From Hell. They try their hands at some more groovy style of hip-hop. They use much more profanity, their lyrics are still braggadocios with a positive message here and there. Run and DMC are not having quite the same great chemistry as before and are nowhere as energetic as before. The production is just too soft for their style and doesn't quite fit but then again I can't blame them. Their style was going out of fashion and even if they'd try something new, they would most likely be ignored. There are still some good material here, so don't sleep. It's just nowhere close to matching their previous four albums or even the followup. Back From Hell doesn't rescue them from going to the hip-hop hell, it just buries them there as it was a commercial failure and they became one of the fastest "old news" pioneers in the extremely fast moving hip-hop world. Still, they are pioneers that deserve much love and therefore, this album is still worth looking into.
Run DMC - Back From Hell (flac 347mb)
01 Sucker D.J.'s 0:50
02 The Ave. 4:01
03 What's It All About 4:48
04 Bob Your Head 3:47
05 Faces 4:27
06 Kick the Frama Lama Lama 3:09
07 Pause 4:38
08 Word Is Born 2:53
09 Back From Hell 3:01
10 Don't Stop 4:37
11 Groove to the Sound 3:34
12 P Upon a Tree 0:44
13 Naughty 4:08
14 Livin' in the City 1:03
15 Not Just Another Groove 4:19
16 Party Time 4:34
xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx
By 1993 the hip hop world had come a long way from where it was when Run-D.M.C. first hit the scene nearly a decade earlier. Sampling had become an art, rap had become hugely commercial, and the gangster life dominated. What's surprising is how well these guys did adapt. The album that precedes Down with the King (the mostly wretched Back from Hell) is bad and a bad imitation that doesn't sound sincere. I don't know how much more convicing they are on this outing talking about guns and bitches and the like, but it's more fluid, it's more confident, and it's a pretty good record. Make sure to check out "Big Willie" with its amazing guitar solo from Rage guitarist Tom Morello and "Ooh, Whatcha Gonna Do" the production of which apes Dr. Dre quite nicely.
Run DMC - Down With The King . (flac 302mb)
01 Down With the King 5:02
02 Come on Everybody 4:30
03 Can I Get It, Yo 3:31
04 Hit 'Em Hard 2:53
05 To the Maker 0:24
06 3 in the Head 3:29
07 Ooh, Whatcha Gonna Do 3:08
08 Big Willie 4:28
09 Three Little Indians 3:07
10 In the House 3:38
11 Can I Get a Witness 3:36
12 Get Open 3:52
13 What's Next 4:04
14 Wreck Shop 3:13
15 For 10 Years 0:38
xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx
Being one of the most beloved hip-hop groups ever assembled has certainly become a double-edged sword for Run-D.M.C. As one of the culture's most influential groups, the names of Run, D.M.C., and Jam Master Jay immediately garner a certain degree of well-earned respect. Conversely, it has also put the trio under an incredibly intense microscope, a dissection that will become more exacerbated with the shameful Crown Royal. With virtually no input from D.M.C. (he appears on a sparse three tracks) Crown Royal spirals so recklessly into contrasting segments that it's easy to forget you are even listening to a Run-D.M.C. record. Lacking any discernible sense of direction or continuity, the once cutting-edge trio has seemingly lost touch with its original fan base. They miserably play the role of alternative genre rockers on "Rock Show" (featuring Stephan Jenkins) and "Here We Go" (featuring Sugar Ray). And though tracks with Limp Bizkit's Fred Durst ("Them Girls") and Kid Rock ("The School of Old") may eventually strike a chord with TRL fanatics, the groupings lack ingenuity and conviction. So what's left for the fan who was weaned on Run-D.M.C.? Not much! Sure, they throw the hip-hop populace a few bones on "It's Over" (featuring JD), "Queens Day" (featuring Nas and Prodigy), and "Simmons Incorporated" (featuring Method Man). But even these mediocre offerings are not nearly enough to satisfy any of their loyal supporters. If hip-hop has proven anything since its inception, it's that few MCs or groups age gracefully. Hopefully, with its legacy still somewhat intact, Run-D.M.C. will now trade in the shell-toed Adidas, fat gold chains, and leather pants for a long overdue and deserved bow.
Run DMC - Crown Royal (flac 320mb)
01 It's Over feat. Jermaine Dupri 3:40
02 Queens Day feat. Nas & Prodigy 4:18
03 Crown Royal 3:13
04 Them Girls feat. Fred Durst 3:33
05 The School of Old feat. Kid Rock 3:20
06 Take the Money and Run feat. Everlast 3:48
07 Rock Show feat. Stephan Jenkins 3:14
08 Here We Go 2001 feat. Sugar Ray 3:21
09 Ahhh feat. Chris Davis 4:21
10 Let's Stay Together (Together Forever) feat. Jagged Edge 3:19
11 Ay Papi feat. Fat Joe 3:16
12 Simmons Incorporated feat. Method Man 4:56
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After releasing the rightfully ignored Crown Royal, his pioneering group Run-D.M.C. ended in tragedy with the murder of Jam Master Jay. Toward the end, mounting issues -- including a medical condition affecting his voice -- made him consider suicide. Then he's rescued by music only to be blind-sided by the news he's adopted. Reflecting on all he's been through, DMC is 100 percent genuine on Checks Thugs and Rock N Roll, but he's heartbreakingly lost his voice, his lyrical skills, and his awareness of the music scene around him. His solo debut sounds like the most contrived rock and rap blends that major-label execs declared the future of music back in the mid-'90s, with touches of P.M. Dawn at their most woeful and indulgent. The opening "Watchtower" finds Cars guitarist Elliot Easton and Buckcherry vocalist Josh Todd sterilely interpolating Hendrix's "All Along the Watchtower" while DMC clumsily offers the first of many "what's gone wrong with the world?" raps. "Just Like Me" with Sarah McLachlan -- whose song "Angel" saved DMC's life, according to the man himself -- follows the same blueprint, but this time it's worse, with an interpolation of Harry Chapin's "Cat in the Cradle," sitars, and thin, maudlin lyrics all drowning in excess. Checks is nothing if not ambitious, but it only works when it decides to just hang out and have some fun. "Lovey Dovey" with Doug E. Fresh is a light weekend track that nails it, while "Machine Gun" brings the album into the 21st century with Ms. Jade and Sonny Black effortlessly delivering one of the album's few street-worthy moments. Also of note is Rev Run's guest shot on "Come 2 Gether," a painfully uneven effort for longtime fans, with Run holding back but still outshining his partner. The best thing you can say about this letdown is that DMC's commitment to changing the world and opening eyes is admirable and attractive, but sadly, his skills are blunted and he's not up to the challenge.
DMC - Checks Thugs and Rock n Roll (flac 381mb)
01 Watchtower feat Josh Todd 3:54
02 Freaky Chick 3:46
03 Just Like Me feat. Sarah McLachlan 4:52
04 Lovey Dovey feat. Doug E. Fresh 4:56
05 Find My Way feat. Kid Rock 4:58
06 Machine Gun feat. Gary Dourdan 4:52
07 Cold feat. Ms. Jade 4:12
08 What's Wrong feat. Napoleon 3:45
09 Cadillac Cars 4:39
10 Only God Knows 4:18
11 Come 2Gether feat. Rev Run 4:16
12 Sucka Sucka 4:16
13 Good Bye feat. Lil Mizzo 4:56
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