Run-DMC - Raising Hell Album

The Raising Hell album is one of the greatest in rap history and one of the essential discs for those who are interested in the genre. Virtually every rap album that came after it, cannibalized from Run-DMC’s rhymes. Why? The tongue twisting raps of "Peter Pier," for instance, introduced the kind of energetic bravado and unrelenting swagger that was exactly why underground rap fans loved him and why he also gained popularity with the mainstream musical audience. After this track is the fantastic "It's Tricky", with its stuttering bass/beats and playful rhymes, not to mention a totally light-hearted video to accompany the single release. Run DMC began the gradual crossover appeal of Hip-Hop and all rappers owe a debt to him.