#1 - Run D.M.C. - Run D.M.C.
The self-titled album from this iconic rap group was released in March of 1984, but I remember hearing it LATE in 1984 (possibly ’85). I’ll explain why (LOL): I was basically born and raised in Syracuse, NY, so that’s where I experienced Hip-Hop. If you check out a map, Syracuse is about 4 1/2 hours north of NYC, but back then – it might as well had been on another planet! Everybody had their eyes on NYC and since communication wasn’t NEARLY as robust as it is today, we – like the rest of the world – tended to experience things months, sometimes even YEARS, after NYC!
“Sucker MC’s” was one of the first pieces that I processed as “Rap”. Everybody, I mean, EVERYBODY was walking around singing, “2 years ago, a friend of mine…” and I was like what is that? It reminded me of a handful of similar joints I’d been hearing around the hood, who I later found out were The Fat Boys, Whodini, and UTFO.
I was still officially an MTV kid, which was also relatively new at the time, so acts like Madonna, Duran Duran, Human League, Culture Club, etc. were still my go-tos, but thanks to Run D.M.C., et al, – the seed was planted!
All these posts won’t get an intricate story, but this deserved one, LOL.