Run-D.M.C. Album: “King of Rock [Deluxe Edition]”

The recent passing of Jam Master Jay made me revisit their catalog, and while TTL was not their most well known album, It was always my favorite and I think it will stand up over time. It is very dense (similar to the Beastie's Paul's Boutique) and sounds great through a set of headphones.

If you are a fan of pure head bob'n rap from the 80's you'll appreciate this gem.

I still love listening to this cd after 10 years of hearing my brother's old tapes. If you are sick of new hip-pop-rap stuff, do yourself a favor, check out some old RUN DMC stuff, and starting with this cd wouldn't be a bad idea. Sure, at the time this idea may have been played out, but come on, no one in their right mind can argue against the title track, "Tougher Than Leather". This is simply one of the best songs ever made by one of the most successful groups in rap history.

I'll admit, sometimes the album is a little weak, but, it is only because only greatness is expected from RUN DMC and when it falls below that they are looked down upon, perhaps their success is doing them a disfavor by reviewers. If you are looking to get back to how rap originated and some of the classics, check this out, and tunes like "Mary, Mary", "Run's House", and perhaps the most catchiest song on the album, "Beats To The Rhyme". From a 21 year old who missed out on raps roots, I can still appreciate it through cds like this every day.

This album is INCREDIBLE!

Though vaguely dissed by some hip-hop heads who felt the crew waited too long to drop the product, this album still holds up as one of the hardest rap albums of all time..

Hip hop beats and blazing guitars crash and burn like nowhere else!

Best Cuts: Mary Mary, Beats to the Rhyme, Miss Elaine, and the title track, which should be getting airplay on Classic Rock stations!

ALL of Run DMC's albums were re-released in 1999- So pick this up, party people!

This being released like a year after their self titled it was light years beyond it. This album blew me away when I first heard it and still does. "King Of Rock" and "Can You Rock It Like This" are amazing tracks.

Tougher than Leather--

Rap group Run DMC experienced their biggest commercial success off the strength of their third LP, 1986's Raising Hell. In the process they virtually introduced hip-hop to most of mainstream America, while giving indie label Profile Records extra reason to be proud of the homeboys from Queens. A year later, their follow-up LP was allegedly scheduled to be released--and their manager Russell Simmons tried to extricate them from their deal with Profile. But Profile balked on parting ways with their biggest act, and Tougher than Leather made its debut in the spring of 1988. By this time, several things had occurred--for one, hip-hop's street audience had been moving on to newer acts during Run DMC's hiatus, like Big Daddy Kane, Eric B. & Rakim, and Ice T. Also, the pop charts still didn't seem to have room for more than one rap act, a slot which DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince now filled. Tougher than Leather was met with platinum sales, but the urban backlash to the group was tangible, despite a well-received "Run's House" tour. In retrospect, this album still holds up as one of the hardest rap albums of all time, as the hip-hop beats and loud guitars crash and burn like nowhere else. Produced mostly by Davy D, some of the best songs include `Mary Mary' (Rick Rubin's lone contribution, sampling the Monkees' tune), `Beats to the Rhyme', `Radio Station', `Miss Elaine', and the guitar-heavy title track. If Raising Hell is their best LP, Tougher than Leather is a close second. The 2005 re-release includes bonus material.