Tricky
Background information
Birth name	Adrian Nicholas Matthews Thaws[1]
Also known as	Tricky Kid
Born	(1968-01-27) 27 January 1968 (age 44)
Origin	Knowle West, Bristol, England
Genres	Trip hop
Occupations	Producer, mixer, musician
Instruments	Vocals, keyboards, harmonica
Years active	1985-present
Labels	Island Records, Domino Records
Associated acts	The Wild Bunch Massive Attack
Website	www.trickysite.com

Tricky (born Adrian Nicholas Matthews Thaws, 27 January 1968) is an English^[2] musician and actor. As a producer and a musician, he is noted for a dark, rich and layered sound and a whispering sprechgesang lyrical style. Culturally, Tricky blends different styles, particularly in his musical fusion of rock and hip hop, high art and pop culture. His debut album Maxinquaye was nominated for the Mercury Prize and voted Album of the Year by NME Magazine.

Early life[link]

Tricky was born in Knowle West, Bristol, England to a Jamaican father and a mixed-race Ghanaian-English mother. His father left the family before he was born and his mother, Maxine Quaye, committed suicide when he was only four. He named his solo album after her - Maxinquaye - and once said that though he hardly knew her, he feels like she's speaking through him with his words.^[3]

He spent his youth in the care of his grandmother, who often let him watch old horror movies instead of going to school. At 15 he began to write lyrics ("I like to rock, I like to dance, I like pretty girls taking down their pants" MixMag 1996).^{[citation needed]} At 17, he spent some time in prison because he bought forged £50 notes from a friend, who later informed the police. In an interview, Tricky said: "Prison was really good. I'm never going back".^[4]

Early career[link]

Eventually he met DJ Milo and hung out with a sound system called The Wild Bunch, which by 1987 evolved into Massive Attack. He received the nickname 'Tricky Kid' and at 18 he became a member of the Fresh 4, a rap group built from The Wild Bunch. He also rapped on Massive Attack's acclaimed debut album Blue Lines (1991).

In 1991, before the release of Massive Attack's album Blue Lines, he met Martina Topley-Bird. Some time later she came to his house, and mentioned to Tricky and Mark Stewart that she could sing. Martina was only fifteen years old, but her 'honey-coated vox' impressed them and they recorded a song called "Aftermath" (though The Face '95 mentions that the first song they recorded together was called "Shoebox"). Tricky showed "Aftermath" to Massive Attack, but they were not interested. So in 1993 he decided to press a few hundred vinyl copies of the song. He cut it directly off of the tape, so that the song is basically "just bassline and hiss". (NME 1994). Finally, a white label got him a contract with Island Records and he started to record his first solo album.

Breakthrough[link]

Tricky left Massive Attack to release his debut album, Maxinquaye. The album was a massive success and Tricky was catapulted to international fame, something he was notably uncomfortable with.^[5] This was because the impact of his album truly set the stage for trip-hop within the United Kingdom. Tricky was able to do so much with his music by incorporating different musical genres in his sound, but ultimately making sure he made the overall product his own. In fact, the Maxinquaye album review by the Rolling Stone magazine read, "Tricky devoured everything from American hip-hop and soul to reggae and the more melancholic strains of 80s British rock."^[6] It is important to note that Tricky paid tribute to early hip-hop artists whose music was, and still is, influential in the hip-hop scene. He also incorporated commercial pop music into his music, and by combining early hip-hop and pop samples in his music, he found a way to appeal to both audiences, which rarely happens. As Hesmondhalgh and Melville wrote, "Tricky showed his debt to hip-hop aesthetics by reconstructualizing samples and slices of both the most respected black music (Public Enemy) and the tackiest pop (quoting David Cassidy’s “How Can I Be Sure?”)."^[7] Mixing all of these elements, Tricky created "a mercurial style of dance music that immediately finds it own fast feet."^[6]

Tricky failed to complete a number of lyrics for the Massive Attack album Protection and gave the band some of the lyrics he had written for Maxinquaye instead. Different versions of the same songs appear on both albums - called "Overcome" and "Hell is 'Round the Corner" on Maxinquaye and "Karmacoma" and "Eurochild" on Protection. When Massive Attack were asked, in a radio interview on CFNY-FM in Toronto, about why the lyrics were the same, they jokingly said that it was because he was lazy.^{[citation needed]}

Tricky found it difficult to cope with the huge success of Maxinquaye and he subsequently eschewed the laidback soul sound of the first album to create an increasingly edgy and aggressive punk tinged music that echoed his personality as he became more erratic and unreliable.^{[citation needed]}

In 1996, Neneh Cherry and Björk appeared as guests on his second album Nearly God. The opening number was a cover of the Siouxsie and the Banshees pre-trip-hop song "Tattoo"^[8] that had previously inspired Tricky when he forged his style.^[9]

In 2001 Tricky appeared on the Thirteen Ghosts soundtrack with the song "Excess" which (briefly) features Alanis Morissette during two of the choruses. In 2002 that song also appeared on the Queen of the Damned soundtrack.

Idiosyncrasies and media controversies[link]

By the time Pre-Millennium Tension was released, Tricky was increasingly irritated with the press, particularly articles written in The Face magazine. The Face had been an early champion of Maxinquaye, but saw Tricky as more a duo than a solo project.^{[citation needed]} The Face published an article claiming that vocalist Martina Topley-Bird had to single-handedly bring up the child that Tricky had fathered.^[10]

Tricky at the Pully For Noise festival 2008

He has also been concerned with racial stereotyping of the media. In the documentary Naked & Famous he explained how photographers want him to frown angrily in photos, because that is how black artists are marketed. He points to a recent cover of The Big Issue, where he has a more ambiguous, confused look on his face, as being more how he feels.^{[citation needed]} In the song "Tricky Kid" from Pre-Millennium Tension, he wrote "As long as you're humble/Let you be the king of jungle." (This lyric is a reference to Goldie and their spat over Björk.)

Throughout his work, Tricky blurs the normally clear sexual definitions found within hip hop. Despite the heavy influence he drew from American hip hop in his debut album, Maxinquaye, he fights against typical sexual representations by, for example, dressing as a woman on the side sleeve of his album cover.^[11] As many of his tracks blend elements of varying types of music creating a difficult to define sound, so his lyrics create a more ambiguous and blurry take on sexuality.^[12]

Side projects and film career[link]

Tricky has guest starred on a number of albums, including a notable appearance on Live's fifth studio album, V. This appearance came as Tricky and Live's lead singer Ed Kowalczyk had developed a close friendship, with Kowalczyk contributing vocals to 'Evolution Revolution Love', a track on Tricky's album Blowback.

Tricky has also acted in various films. He appeared in a significant supporting role in the 1997 Luc Besson film The Fifth Element, playing the right-hand man "Right Arm" to evil businessman Mr. Zorg. He reportedly put off actor Gary Oldman (who played Zorg) because, while he had his back to the camera, he was eating a Twix bar, to Oldman's anger ("He's facking eatin' a Twix!"). "But Gary Oldman took me in, used to make me cups of tea and shit like that. He's got a real deep soul. Y'know, he permitted me to hang out with him and he's up there."^[13] He also appears briefly in both the 1997 John Woo directed Face/Off (his single "Christiansands" is also played during his brief cameo) as well as the 2004 Olivier Assayas film Clean, playing himself, and had a large role in the music video for "Parabol/Parabola" by Tool.

In 2001 Tricky appeared in online advertising for the web series We Deliver, about a marijuana delivery service in New York. Though he did not actually appear in any episodes, in the advertising it appears as if he is a customer of the service.^{[citation needed]}

Recent work[link]

Tricky at the 2009 INmusic festival

Tricky's website last reports him busy at work with the musical acts signed to his Brown Punk record label. Several new solo works have been featured in television programs such as CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, The L Word and Girlfriends, and he contributed "Au Revoir Emmanuelle" to a compilation entitled Monsieur Gainsbourg Revisited.

Tricky's 2008 studio album, Knowle West Boy, was released in the UK and Ireland in July 2008 and September 2008 in the U.S. The first single was "Council Estate". In an interview with The Skinny in July 2008, Tricky mentioned that it was the first time that he had decided to let someone co-produce an album with him, the person in question being Bernard Butler, ex-Suede guitarist. Less than enamoured with Butler's technical prowess, Tricky finished by totally re-recording all of the material.^[14]

On 8 December 2009, Tricky's 1995 debut album Maxinquaye was reissued with a bonus 13-track CD featuring B-sides, out-takes and 7 previously unreleased mixes including three new mixes of "Overcome", "Hell is Round the Corner", and "Black Steel".

On 10 December 2009, Daddy G. revealed that he met Tricky in Paris and asked him to work on a future project. Tricky agreed.

During an interview on 1 July 2010, Tricky stated that his new album, titled Mixed Race, was scheduled for release on 27 September 2010. The first single from the album became available on 23 August. The album included contributions from Franky Riley, Terry Lynn, Bobby Gillespie, Hamadouche, Blackman, and Tricky's youngest brother Marlon Thaws.

On December 13, 2010 Tricky's tour bus was caught in a blizzard near Sarnia, Ontario, Canada (near the U.S./Canadian border). The band was scheduled to play Tuesday night in Minneapolis, but had to cancel because they didn't make it out on time. A local farmer, John Prins, came to their rescue. The farmer reported that "they were sitting in their tour bus for 30, 35 hours, without any food", and said, "They said they were surviving on Jack Daniels."

In early 2011, Tricky was booked to headline Blissfields Festival.^[15]

On 26 June 2011 Tricky appeared on stage during Beyoncé's headline slot on the pyramid stage at Glastonbury for the track "Baby Boy".

In April 2012 tricky performed Maxinquaye with Martina Topley-Bird at several concerts around the UK including, for the first time in several years in his home town of Bristol. The concerts featured regular interruptions orchestrated by Tricky, where he brought his youngest brother, Marlon Thaws to rap on stage alongside other local rappers as well as encouraging the audience to come up on stage.

Discography[link]

Studio albums[link]

• Maxinquaye (1995) #3 UK Certified: Gold BPI ^[16]
• Nearly God (1996) #10 UK
• Pre-Millennium Tension (1996) #30 UK, #140 US
• Angels with Dirty Faces (1998) #23 UK, #84 US
• Juxtapose (1999) (with DJ Muggs and Dame Grease) #22 UK, #182 US
• Blowback (2001) #34 UK, #138 US
• Vulnerable (2003) #88 UK, #21 BEL, #22 FRA, #27 SWI, #67 AUT
• Knowle West Boy (2008) #63 UK, #147 US, #25 SWI, #31 FR, #35 AUT, #35 BEL, #53 IT, #86 ND
• Mixed Race (2010) #118 UK,^[17] #33 FR, #99 SWI

Compilation albums and others[link]

• The Crow: City of Angels soundtrack (1996)
• Product of the Environment (1999)
• The Crow: Salvation soundtrack (2000)
• Queen of the Damned (soundtrack) (2002)
• A Ruff Guide (2002)
• Back to Mine (2003)
• Original Sin (2010) INXS album featuring Tricky on "Mediate".
• Mediate: The Ralphi Rosario Remixes (2011) Ralphi Rosario remix album of the INXS song "Mediate" featuring Tricky. #5 U.S. Billboard dance chart.^[18]

Singles and EPs[link]

Collaborating artists[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Tricky

Run–D.M.C. was an American hip hop group from Hollis, Queens, New York, founded by Joseph "Run" Simmons, Darryl "D.M.C." McDaniels, and Jason "Jam-Master Jay" Mizell. The group is widely acknowledged as one of the most influential acts in the history of hip hop culture.

Run–D.M.C. were one of the most well-known hip hop acts in the 1980s who, along with LL Cool J, signified the advent of the new school of hip hop music. They were the first group in the genre to have a gold album (Run–D.M.C., 1984) and be nominated for a Grammy Award.^[1] 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 videos on MTV, the first to appear on American Bandstand and the cover of Rolling Stone.^[2] The group was among the first to highlight the importance of the MC and DJ relationship.^[3][4] In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked them number 48 in their list of the greatest musical artists of all time.^[4]

In 2007, Run–D.M.C. was named "The Greatest Hip Hop Group of All Time" by MTV.com^[5] and "Greatest Hip Hop Artist of All Time" by VH1.^[6] On April 4, 2009, rapper Eminem inducted them into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In doing so, Run–D.M.C. became only the second hip hop group in history to be inducted, after Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five.

The initials "D.M.C." are widely accepted to refer to Darryl McDaniels' initials.^{[citation needed]} In the 1985 album King of Rock's title track, McDaniels says the initials have two meanings: "Devastating Mic Control" and "D for never dirty, MC for mostly clean." He also makes a third reference "The 'D's for Doing it all of the time, the 'M's for the rhymes that all are Mine, The 'C's for Cool - cool as can be."

Career[link]

Early years[link]

The three members of Run–D.M.C. grew up in Hollis, Queens.^[4] As a teenager, Simmons was recruited into hip-hop by his older brother, Russell, who was then an up and coming hip-hop promoter. Simmons appeared onstage as a DJ for rapper Kurtis Blow, who was managed by Russell. Known as "DJ Run, Son of Kurtis Blow", Simmons soon began performing with Kurtis Blow.^[7] Previously, McDaniels had been more focused on athletics than music, but soon began to DJ after purchasing a set of turntables. Simmons convinced McDaniels to start rapping, and though McDaniels would not perform in public, he soon began writing rhymes and was known as "Easy D."

Simmons and McDaniels started hanging around Two-Fifths Park in Hollis in late 1980, hoping to rap for the local DJs that performed and competed there, and the most popular one known to frequent the park was Mizell, then known as "Jazzy Jase". Mizell was known for his flashy wardrobe and b-boy attitude, which led to minor legal troubles as a teen. Thereafter, he decided to pursue music full-time and began entertaining in the park soon after. Eventually, Simmons and McDaniels rapped in front of Mizell at the park, and the three became friends. Following Russell's success managing Kurtis Blow, he helped Run record his first single, a song called "Street Kid." The song went unnoticed, but despite the single's failure, Run's enthusiasm for hip-hop was growing. Simmons soon wanted to record again—-this time with McDaniels, but Russell refused, citing a dislike for D's rhyming style.^[7] After they completed high school and started college in 1982, Simmons and McDaniels finally convinced Russell to let them record as a duo, and they recruited Mizell (who now called himself Jam-Master Jay) to be their official DJ. A year later, in 1983, Russell agreed to help them record a new single and land a record deal, but only after he changed McDaniels' stage name to 'DMC' and marketed the group as "Run–D.M.C.", a name which, incidentally, the group hated at first. DMC said later, “We wanted to be the Dynamic Two, the Treacherous Two — when we heard that shit, we was like, �?We’re gonna be ruined!’ ”^[8]

After signing with Profile Records, Run–D.M.C. released their first single "It's Like That/Sucker MCs", in late 1983. The single was well received, peaking at #15 on the R&B charts.^[9] The trio performed the single on the New York Hot Tracks video show in 1983. Emboldened by their success, Run–D.M.C. released their eponymous debut Run–D.M.C. in 1984. Hit singles such as "Jam-Master Jay" and "Hard Times" proved that the group were more than a one-hit wonder, and the landmark single "Rock Box" was a groundbreaking fusion of raw hip-hop and hard rock that would become a cornerstone of the group's sound and paved the way for the rap rock movement of the late 1990s.

Run–D.M.C.'s swift ascension to the forefront of rap with a new sound and style meant that old school hip hop artists were becoming outdated. Along with pushing rap into a new direction musically, Run–D.M.C. changed the entire aesthetic of hip hop music and culture. Old school rappers like Afrika Bambaataa and Melle Mel of Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five tended to dress in the flashy attire that was commonly attributed to rock and disco acts of the era: tight leather, chest-baring shirts, gloves and hats with rhinestones and spikes, leather boots, etc. Run–D.M.C. discarded the more glam aspects of early hip hop's look (which ironically, was later readopted in 1990 by more "pop" rappers MC Hammer and Vanilla Ice) and incorporated a more 'street' sense of style such as fedoras, leather jackets, and unlaced Adidas shoes.^[1] The group's look had been heavily influenced by Mizell's own personal style. When Russell Simmons saw Jay's flashy, yet street b-boy style, he insisted the entire group follow suit.^[10] Run said later:

That embrace of the look and style of the street would define the next 25 years of hip hop fashion.

[edit] King of Rock, Raising Hell and mainstream success

After the success of their first album, Run–D.M.C. looked to branch out on their follow-up. The release of King of Rock in 1985 saw the group furthering their rap-rock fusion on songs like "Can You Rock It Like This" and the title track; while "Roots, Rap, Reggae" was one of the first rap/dancehall hybrids. The music video for the single "Rock Box" was the first ever rap video to air on MTV and received heavy rotation from the channel. The song was the group's most popular hit at that point and the album was certified platinum. Run–D.M.C. performed at the legendary Live Aid benefit shortly after Rock Box was released.

In late 1985, Run–D.M.C. were featured in the hip hop film Krush Groove, a fictionalized re-telling of Russell Simmons' rise as a hip-hop entrepreneur and his struggles to get his own label, Def Jam Recordings, off of the ground. The film featured a young Blair Underwood as Russell, along with appearances by old-school legend Kurtis Blow, The Fat Boys, teen pop act New Edition, LL Cool J, Prince protegee Sheila E., and hip hop's first successful white rap group the Beastie Boys, who were signed to Simmons' Def Jam label. The movie was a hit and further proof of hip hop's continued mainstream visibility.

Returning to the studio in 1986, the group teamed with producer Rick Rubin for their third album. Rubin had just produced LL Cool J's debut album Radio. They later released their third album titled Raising Hell which became the group's most successful album and one of the best-selling rap albums of all-time. The album was certified double-platinum and peaked at number three on the charts.

They were almost done with the album, but Rubin thought that it needed an element that would appeal to rock fans as well. This spurred the lead single "Walk This Way", a cover of the classic hard rock song by Aerosmith. The original intention was to just rap over a sample of the song, but Rubin and Jay insisted on doing a complete cover version. Aerosmith's Steven Tyler and Joe Perry were called to join Run–D.M.C. in the studio to add vocals and lead guitar, respectively. The song and video became one of the biggest hits of the '80s, reaching number four on the Hot 100, and cemented Run–D.M.C.'s crossover status. It also resurrected Aerosmith's career.^[12] The single "My Adidas" led to the group signing a $1.6 million endorsement deal with athletic apparel brand Adidas. Adidas formed a long-term relationship with Run–D.M.C. and hip hop.^[13]

The success of Raising Hell is often credited with kick-starting hip hop's golden age, when rap music's visibility, variety, and commercial viability exploded onto the national stage and became a global phenomenon. Their success paved the way for acts like LL Cool J and the Beastie Boys. The group toured in the wake of the album's success, but the Raising Hell Tour was marred by violence, particularly fights between rival street gangs in places like Los Angeles. Though Run–D.M.C.'s lyrics had been angry, menacing, violent, hostile, confrontational and aggressive, they typically denounced crime and ignorance, but the media began to blame the group for the incidents. In the wake of the violence, Run–D.M.C. would call for a day of peace between the gangs in L.A.

A detailed description of the lead-up to Run-DMC's call for a day of peace comprises the introduction to "Tougher Than Leather: The Rise of Run-DMC" by Bill Adler (Consafos Press 2002).^[14] Referring to the book's original 1987 publication in a Rolling Stone review pegged to the book's republication in 2002, the critic Jon Caramanica wrote, "It might well be the most comprehensive biography ever written about a pop act while it was still in its prime."^[15]

[edit] Tougher Than Leather, changing times

After spending 1987 on tour supporting Raising Hell, Run–D.M.C. released Tougher Than Leather in 1988. The album saw the group discarding much of its rap rock leanings for a grittier, more sample-heavy sound. Despite not selling as well as its predecessor, the album boasted several strong singles, including "Run's House", "Beats to the Rhyme", and "Mary Mary." Though at the time considered a disappointing follow-up to the blockbuster Raising Hell, the album has grown in stature. In the 2000 liner notes for the album's re-release, Chuck D. of Public Enemy would call the album "...a spectacular performance against all odds and expectations."^[16]

Later in 1988, the group made their second film appearance in Tougher Than Leather, a would-be crime caper that was directed by Rick Rubin and featured special guest performances by the Beastie Boys and Slick Rick. The film bombed at the box office, but strengthened the indirect relationship between Run–D.M.C. and the Def Jam label.

Though the group itself was never signed to the label, they were managed by Russell Simmons, produced by Rick Rubin (who was co-founder of Def Jam, along with Simmons), and often shared concert tour spotlight with acts on the label's roster.

Amidst the changing times and sliding sales, Run–D.M.C. released Back from Hell in 1990. The album was the worst-reviewed of their career, as the group tried to re-create itself musically with ill-advised forays into New Jack Swing (a then-popular style of production that sonically merged hip hop and contemporary R&B) and sometimes-preachy lyrical content. The two singles released, the anti-drug, anti-crime song "Pause" and street narrative "The Ave", had little success, and the group began to look outdated. Reeling from their first taste of failure, personal problems began to surface for the trio. McDaniels, who had been a heavy drinker in recent years, was losing control to alcoholism. Jay was involved in a life-threatening car accident and survived two gunshot wounds after an incident in 1990. In 1991, Simmons was charged with raping a college student in Ohio, though the charges were later dropped.^[17] He was also battling depression and would frequently mix poison^{[citation needed]} with Coca Cola—his signature drink—later coined "The Jimmy Simmons".

With so much personal chaos and professional uncertainty, the members turned to faith to try and steady their lives. Both Simmons and McDaniels joined the church, with Run becoming especially devoted following his legal troubles and the toll it took on his finances.^[18] Needing to start from scratch, they just spent time enjoying themselves with one another.

After a three-year hiatus that seemingly saw rap music move on without them, the rejuvenated Run–D.M.C. returned in 1993 with Down With the King. Building on the gritty sound of Tougher Than Leather, and adding some subtle religious references, the album featured guest appearances and production by several hip hop notables (including Pete Rock & CL Smooth, Q-Tip of A Tribe Called Quest, and Jermaine Dupri). Buoyed by the title track and first single, the album entered the charts at #1 and number 7 on the pop charts, Run D.M.C. had returned to the airwaves.^[12]

Even though the album went platinum, the song proved to be their last hit. Jam-Master Jay also found success on his own; he had founded his own label JMJ Records, and discovered and produced the group Onyx, which had tremendous success in 1993 following the release of their hit single, "Slam." Later that same year, Run became an ordained minister, and in 1995 the iconic group appeared in The Show, a Def Jam-produced documentary that featured several of hip hop's biggest acts discussing the lifestyle and sacrifices of the industry.

Later years, break-up[link]

Over the next few years, the group did very little recording. Mizell produced and mentored up and coming artists, including; Onyx, and 50 Cent, who he eventually signed to the JMJ label. Simmons got divorced, re-married, and began to focus on his spiritual and philanthropic endeavors by becoming a reverend. He also wrote a book along side his brother Russell.^[1] McDaniels, also married, made an appearance on the Notorious B.I.G.'s 1997 double-album Life After Death, and focused on raising his family.

Though the group continued to tour around the world, over a decade of living a rap superstar lifestyle was beginning to take a toll on McDaniels. He was beginning to tire of Run–D.M.C., and there was increased friction between him and Simmons, who was eager to return to recording. (Simmons had at this time adopted the moniker "Rev. Run" in light of his religious conversion.) While on tour in Europe in 1997, McDaniels ongoing battle with substance abuse led to a bout of severe depression, which spurred an addiction to prescription drugs. McDaniels' depression continued for years, so much so that he contemplated suicide.^[19]

In 1997, producer and remixer Jason Nevins remixed "It's Tricky" and "It's Like That". Nevins' remix of "It's Like That" hit number 1 in the United Kingdom, Germany, and many other European countries. A video was made for "It's Like That", although no new footage of Run–D.M.C. appeared in it. In 1999, Run–D.M.C. recorded the theme song for WWE wrestling stable D-Generation X entitled "The Kings". They also made an appearance in a rare version of the music video "Bodyrock" by Moby. Their version of "The Kings" was included on the album, WWF Aggression (2000).

Soon after, the group finally returned to the studio, but in an increasingly tense environment, as Simmons and McDaniels' differences had begun to show. In the wake of the exploding popularity of rap rock artists like KoRn, Limp Bizkit, and Kid Rock, Simmons wanted to return to the aggressive, hard rock-tinged sound that made the group famous. McDaniels — who had become a fan of thoughtful singer-songwriters like John Lennon, Harry Chapin, and Sarah McLachlan — wanted to go in a more introspective direction. Appearing on VH1's popular documentary series Behind The Music in early 2000, McDaniels confirmed that he was creatively frustrated and highlighted some songs that he was recording on his own. The continued friction led to McDaniels sitting out most of the group's recording sessions in protest.

Simmons, in defiance, recorded material anyway, inviting several guest stars such as Kid Rock, Jermaine Dupri, Stephan Jenkins of Third Eye Blind, Method Man, and fellow Queens MCs Nas and Prodigy of Mobb Deep to contribute to the project. The resultant album, Crown Royal, was delayed due to the personal problems, and when it was finally released in 2001, it featured only three appearances by DMC. Despite no major singles, the album initially sold well. However, many critics blasted the lack of DMC's involvement, and fans questioned whether this was a 'true' Run–D.M.C. album, only being released as one for contractual purposes. Some positive reviews were published: Entertainment Weekly noted that "on this hip-hop roast, new schoolers Nas and Fat Joe pay their respects with sparkling grooves....Run's rhymes are still limber."^[20]

After Crown Royal, the group embarked on a worldwide tour with their "Walk This Way" compatriots, Aerosmith. The tour was a rousing success, celebrating the collaboration between the two acts and acknowledging the innumerable amount of rap and rock acts that had been influenced by their seminal hit 15 years prior. Even though he had little to do with the album, McDaniels was relishing the stage; he had been suffering from an inoperable vocal disorder that had rendered his once-booming voice a strained mumble. Performing allowed McDaniels to come out of his depression and he appeared revitalized on the tour. There was even talk of Run–D.M.C. finally signing with the Def Jam label, which by then was no longer held by its original founders.

Simmons, however, had been growing increasingly tired of hip-hop. His family was growing, and he was assisting with his brother Russell's Phat Farm clothing imprint, making Run–D.M.C. less of a priority. Aerosmith was beginning to discuss extending the successful tour, but while on the bus headed to another performance, Simmons announced that he was leaving and was not interested in returning. To the others' shock, Run was reported as having said, "Yo, tomorrow, we're gonna tell [Aerosmith] we ain't gonna do the tour. We're gonna go home. Y'all have to figure out what y'all are gonna do. Because I don't want to perform no more."^[21] Despite the protests of McDaniels, Mizell, and Tyler, Simmons was adamant. Their touring career at the time seemed over, and it was uncertain whether the trio would ever record again.

On October 30, 2002, Jam-Master Jay was shot and killed at his recording studio in Queens.^[22] Outside the studio where the murder occurred, fans and friends gathered and left Adidas sneakers, albums, and flowers for the legendary DJ. Mourners respected him as a family man who stayed out of trouble. The homicide has yet to be solved, echoing the unsolved murders of fellow hip hop titans The Notorious B.I.G. and 2Pac. In the aftermath, Run and DMC announced that the group was officially disbanding, and they retired the Run–D.M.C. moniker.^[23]

Biopic[link]

Following the success of Notorious, it has been announced that a Run–D.M.C. biopic is in production. The film is rumored to depict the life and story of the group beginning from their inception in Hollis, Queens, and leading up to the 2002 murder of Jam-Master Jay.^[24]

Post-breakup[link]

In 2004, Run-DMC were one of the first acts honored on the first annual VH1 Hip Hop Honors, alongside legends like 2Pac and the Sugarhill Gang. The Beastie Boys paid tribute. Simmons did not attend the show; he was recording his first solo album, Distortion. It was released in 2005 to strong reviews and moderate sales.^{[citation needed]}

McDaniels also released a solo album, 'Checks Thugs and Rock N Roll', which was slightly less successful.^{[citation needed]} He had recently discovered that he was adopted, which lead him to be the center of the VH1 program My Adoption Journey, a documentary chronicling his re-connection with his biological family. McDaniels was also featured in the 2008 video game, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, making appearances in the songs "Walk this Way" and "King of Rock". He frequently contributed to VH1 programs such as the I Love The... series, and he released the song "Rock Show" featuring singer Stephan Jenkins.

Simmons also turned to television, starring in Run's House, a reality show that followed his life as a father and husband. The show has become one of the most popular on MTV^{[citation needed]}, and it made reality TV stars out of his daughters Vanessa and Angela.

In June 2007, McDaniels appeared with Aerosmith performing "Walk This Way" for their encore at the Hard Rock Calling festival in London, England. Simmons joined Kid Rock's 2008 Rock N Roll Revival Tour, performing "It's Like That", "It's Tricky", "You Be Illin'", "Run's House", "Here We Go", "King of Rock" and "Walk This Way" with Kid Rock. They also covered "For What It's Worth" at the end of the show.

In 2007, Mizell's wife, Terry, Simmons, and McDaniels also launched the J.A.M. Awards in Jay's memory. Jay's vision for social Justice, Arts and Music was promoted by many recording artists, including Snoop Dogg, LL Cool J, Raekwon, Jim Jones, M.O.P., Papoose, Everlast, DJ Muggs, Kid Capri, De La Soul, Mobb Deep, EPMD, Dead Prez, Biz Markie and Marley Marl. In October 2008, Mizell's one-time protege 50 Cent announced plans to produce a documentary about his fallen mentor.^[25]

In 2008 Run–D.M.C. was nominated for 2009 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. On January 14, 2009, it was confirmed that Run–D.M.C. would be one of the five inductees to the Rock Hall.^[26] On April 3, 2009, Run–D.M.C. became the second rap act to be awarded the honor (after Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, who were inducted in 2007).^[27] It was also announced that Simmons and McDaniels will perform with The Roots at their annual "picnic" show on June 5, 2010.

Legacy[link]

Adidas sneakers with the Run–D.M.C. logo

Allmusic.com's Stephen Thomas Erlewine states that "...More than any other hip-hop group, Run-D.M.C. are responsible for the sound and style of the [hip-hop] music."^[28] Musically, they moved hip hop and rap music away from the funk and disco-oriented sound of its beginnings, into an altogether new and unique sonic imprint. Their sound is directly responsible for intentionally transforming rap music from dance-and club-oriented funk grooves like "Rapper's Delight" and "The Breaks" to an aggressive, less-danceable approach. Characterized by sparse, hard-hitting beats—as typified on hits like "It's Like That", and "Peter Piper"—this would form the foundation of hardcore hip hop (particularly hardcore East Coast hip hop).

As such, Run–D.M.C. is considered the originators of the style, and hardcore hip hop would dominate the next two decades of rap music, from the bombastic, noisy sound of Public Enemy and stripped minimalism of Boogie Down Productions to the thump of early Wu-Tang Clan and Nas. Their influence was not limited to the East Coast, however. L.A.'s N.W.A., on their landmark 1988 album Straight Outta Compton, showed heavy influences from Tougher Than Leather-era Run–D.M.C., and Chicano rap act Cypress Hill were definitely influenced by Run–D.M.C.'s fusion of rap and rock.

Early on, the group rarely sampled and rarely looped anything over their skeletal beats, and the funky minimalism of major producers, such as Timbaland and The Neptunes, is drawn from Run–D.M.C.'s fundamental sound. Rap rock fusion proved to be influential among rock artists, with '80s bands like Faith No More, Anthrax (whose collaboration with Public Enemy on "Bring the Noise" was directly influenced by "Walk This Way"^{[citation needed]}) and the Red Hot Chili Peppers adding elements of rap to alternative rock and heavy metal. Most notably, the rap rock genre became popular in the late 1990s, with bands like Rage Against the Machine, KoRn, Sublime, Limp Bizkit, Linkin Park and, most recently^[when?], Hollywood Undead gaining worldwide popularity by furthering Run–D.M.C.'s template of aggressive rhymes over hard rock riffs.

Aesthetically, they changed the way rappers presented themselves. Onstage, Old school rappers had previously performed in flashy attire and colorful costumes, typically had a live band and, in the case of acts like Whodini, had background dancers. Run–D.M.C. performed with only Run and DMC out front, and Jam-Master Jay on the turntables behind them, in what is now considered the 'classic' hip hop stage setup: two turntables and microphones. They embraced the look and style of the street by wearing jeans, lace-less Adidas sneakers, and their trademark black fedoras. The group shunned both the over-the-top wardrobe of previous rap stars like the Furious Five and Afrika Bambaataa, and the silk-shirted, jheri curled, ladies' man look of rappers like Kurtis Blow and Spoonie Gee. Followers of their style included LL Cool J and the Beastie Boys; seemingly overnight, rappers were wearing jeans and sneakers instead of rhinestones and leather outfits. From Adidas track suits and rope chains to baggy jeans and Timberland footwear, hip hop's look remained married to the styles of the street.

According to the Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock & Roll:

Historically, the group achieved a number of notable firsts in hip hop music and are credited with being the act most responsible for pushing hip hop into mainstream popular music, initiating its musical and artistic evolution and enabling its growth as a global phenomenon. Run–D.M.C. is the first rap act to have reached a number of major accomplishments:^[29]

• A #1 R&B charting rap album
• The second rap act to appear on American Bandstand (the Sugar Hill Gang appeared first on the program in 1981)
• The first rap act to chart in the Top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100 more than once
• The first rap artist with a Top 10 pop charting rap album
• The first rap artist with gold, platinum, and multi-platinum albums
• The first rap act to appear on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine
• (one of) The first rap act(s) to receive a Grammy Award nomination
• The first rap act to make a video appearance on MTV
• The first rap act to perform at a major arena
• Signed to a major product endorsement deal (Adidas)
• The second rap act to be inducted into the Rock and roll hall of fame

Discography[link]

• Run–D.M.C. (1984)
• King of Rock (1985)
• Raising Hell (1986)
• Tougher Than Leather (1988)
• Back from Hell (1990)
• Down with the King (1993)
• Crown Royal (2001)

Filmography[link]

• Krush Groove (1984)
• Tougher Than Leather (film) (1988)
• Who's The Man (1993)

Bibliography[link]

• Adler, B(ill), “Tougher Than Leather: The Authorized Biography of Run-DMC,” New American Library, 1987.
• Adler, Bill, “Tougher Than Leather: The Rise of Run-DMC,” Consafos Press, 2002. (This title is an update of “Tougher Than Leather: The Authorized Biography of Run-DMC.”)
• Brown, Terrell, “Reverend Run (Run-DMC),” Mason Crest Publishers, 2008.
• McDaniels, Darryl (with Haring, Bruce), “King of Rock: Respect, Responsibility, and My Life with Run-DMC,” Thomas Dunne Books/St. Martin’s Press, 2001.
• Reverend Run, The (with Taylor, Curtis L.), “It’s Like That: A Spiritual Memoir,” St. Martin’s Press, 2000.
• Ro, Ronin, “Raising Hell: The Reign, Ruin, and Redemption of Run-DMC and Jam Master Jay,” Amistad, 2005.
• Thigpen, David E., “Jam Master Jay: The Heart of Hip-Hop,” Pocket Books, 2003.

See also[link]

• List of best-selling music artists

Notes[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official website
• Run–D.M.C. discography at Discogs
• Official website of DMC
• Jam-Master Jay, 1965–2002 – Harry Allen reflects on the passing of JMJ and the impact of Run–D.M.C.