One of the West Coast’s biggest rap icons of all time, Dr. Dre, recently revealed that he was going to call it quits. This all took place back in 1992, around the release of one of the greatest rap albums of all time, The Chronic. Where did Dre talk about this? Well, you can find it in LL Cool J’s new book that has just been released to the public. With the 50th anniversary of hip-hop being celebrated this year, LL wanted to commemorate it with a new book. Many publications and events have paid homage to this incredible five-decade-long run of culture and music, but this might be the most special one of all.
HipHopDX says that the title of the new work is The Streets Win: 50 Years of Hip Hop Greatness. What is also really cool about this title is that LL included entries from plenty of legends in the game. You can find stories from Eminem, Nas, Snoop Dogg, A Tribe Called Quest, and plenty more. One of them was Dr. Dre and he spoke very candidly about the crossroads he faced.
Dre felt his creativity was stagnating and after the label refused to pay him, it all started to unravel for him. “Eazy-E and Jerry Heller were trying to starve me out and refused to pay the money they owed me. I was driving on the 101 freeway headed to the studio and, on that drive, I was thinking about quitting.” However, something awoke inside of him. About a week had passed and he began finding a rhythm and it just clicked for him. After all of that learning and deep thinking, Dre thinks this moment changed his life forever. “At this point in my life, I see the value of surrounding myself with people who push me forward. I don’t want to be around anyone I can’t learn something from.”
What are your initial thoughts on Dr. Dre saying he would have retired from music back in the early 90s? How much do you think it would have affected the rap world? Out of all of Dre’s songs which one is your favorite of his? We want to hear what you have to say about all of this. With that in mind, be sure to leave all of your thoughts and opinions in the comments section below. Additionally, always keep it locked in with HNHH for all of the latest breaking news around Dr. Dre, as well as the rest of the music world.
It’s been 37 years since the release of Run DMC’s groundbreaking album, Raising Hell. The album, released on May 15, 1986, solidified the group’s reputation as pioneers in the industry and set the stage for Hip Hop’s soundscape. Hailing from Hollis, Queens, Run D.M.C. comprised Joseph Simmons, better known as Rev. Run; Darryl McDaniels, or D.M.C.; and the late Jason Mizell, known as Jam Master Jay. Their unique blend of Rock, Punk, and Hip Hop combined with their distinct fashion sense—wearing Adidas sneakers without laces, chunky gold chains, and black fedoras—created a lasting impression on music and style.
In 1986, Spin caught up with Run D.M.C. at the inception of Hip Hop culture and their careers. They were confident, and Jam Master Jay didn’t mince words about their impact. “Before us, rap records was corny,” said Jay. “Everything was soft. Nobody made no hard-beat records. Everybody just wanted to sing, but they didn’t know how to sing, so they’ll just rap on the record. There was no real meaning to a rapper. Bam[baataa] and them was getting weak. Flash was getting weak. Everybody was telling me it was a fad. And before Run-D.M.C. came along, rap music could have been a fad.”
Compared to the conflict-causing rhymes we hear in the generation of emcees that arrived after the group, calling Run D.M.C’s bars hard-hitting seems far-fetched. However, at the time, Raising Hell bred a new sound that called out the newly-developed Hip Hop status quo. The trio felt iconic, and that spirit translated to a project that remains in Rap’s elite. Let’s revisit Raising Hell and Run D.M.C.’s relentless impact on Hip Hop.
The Making Of An Iconic Album
NEW YORK – 1985: Joseph Simmons, Darryl McDaniels and Jam Master Jay of the hip-hop group “Run DMC” pose for a studio portrait session in 1985 in New York, New York. (Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)
Russell Simmons, Rev. Run’s older brother, and Rick Rubin, who later co-founded Def Jam Recordings, produced Raising Hell. The album was recorded at Chung King House of Metal in New York City. Rubin’s production skills and the group’s raw energy resulted in a sound that redefined Hip Hop.
Featuring collaborations with guitar legend Eddie Martinez and Rock icons Aerosmith, the album is a perfect example of Run D.M.C.’s innovative approach to music. The classic track “Walk This Way” is a cover of Aerosmith’s original song. It marked the first-ever collaboration between Hip Hop and Rock artists. It’s considered a milestone in music history, as it successfully bridged the gap between these two genres and paved the way for future collaborations.
Background & Success
Raising Hell became an immediate chart success. The album peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 and remained on the chart for 59 weeks. The album spawned three hit singles: “My Adidas,” “It’s Tricky,” and the aforementioned “Walk This Way.” Eventually, Raising Hell earned Triple Platinum status, selling over three million copies in the United States alone.
Sonically, it seemed the inspiration behind Raising Hell was the group’s desire to push the boundaries of Hip Hop while remaining authentic to their roots. Run D.M.C. was one of the first groups to use drum machines, scratching, and sampling. These techniques have since become staples in Hip Hop production.
Influencing A Culture Of Hip Hop
Run D.M.C.’s impact on music is immeasurable. The group’s fusion of different musical styles and innovative approach to production influenced a whole generation of artists, from the Beastie Boys and LL Cool J to Public Enemy and Jay-Z. Their widespread appeal helped pave the way for Hip Hop’s mainstream success in the late ’80s and ’90s.
Response to Raising Hell from both the public and critics was overwhelmingly positive. The album’s seamless blend of genres and inventive production was hailed as revolutionary. Run D.M.C. quickly became one of their time’s most influential and successful acts. They were the first Rap group to appear on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine, the first to have a video on MTV, and the first to be nominated for a Grammy in the Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group category.
Run D.M.C. Today
A wide view of Darryl McDaniels and Joseph Simmons of Run-DMC performing onstage at the 65th Annual GRAMMY Awards held at Crypto.com Arena on February 5, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Christopher Polk/Variety via Getty Images)
Run D.M.C. earned numerous accolades throughout their career, including two Grammy Lifetime Achievement Awards and an induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2009. Despite facing challenges, such as D.M.C.’s struggle with depression and the tragic murder of Jam Master Jay in 2002, the group’s legacy continues to thrive.
Today, Rev. Run is a well-known reality TV star, author, and ordained minister, while D.M.C. continues to work in music, philanthropy, and as a comic book creator. Though Jam Master Jay’s life was tragically cut short, his family and friends continue to honor his memory through the Jam Master Jay Foundation for Music, which aims to provide access to arts education for underprivileged youth.
Additionally, Rev. Run and D.M.C. reunited on the Grammy Award stage months ago. The ceremony highlighted this year’s celebration of Hip Hop’s 50th anniversary, and the Rap pioneers energized the crowd with a performance that made us feel like we needed to break out our Adidas Superstars and bucket hats. Take a walk down memory lane and jam out to Raising Hell above.
