Back To Hell

Like a lot of Hip Hop fans, I've been a big fan of Run D.M.C. since I was a kid. Tougher Than Leather was actually the very first Hip Hop tape I ever bought. I think even now, if you go back and listen to the first 4 albums, you'll see how they became so popular with a lot of different demographic groups at the time and paved the way for Hip Hop artists to have real musical success. They brought Hip Hop to the masses, and broke through the talk of being the "fad" music of the day. Run D.M.C. definitely hold a lot of top positions when it comes to my favorite Hip Hop songs.

One album I never got a chance/never took the time to listen to from their discography is Back From Hell. Most people overlook this album, and after listening to it in its entirety this weekend, I now see why. It's actually inaccurate to say it's overlooked. Usually, that term is reserved for things that should be recognized. This album needs to be forgotten. It needs it so bad, that I probably shouldn't even be writing about it for 5 or so people to see here.

But, for a trio so synonymous with Hip Hop, who have so many classic records, and who had their own original sound for so many years, I was just shocked at how uneven, directionless, and full of mimicry this album is. So, I felt compelled to talk about it, I guess.

Their rhyme style switches too many times to count, and it feels like they are trying to keep up with the other acts getting more shine than them that year. The same with the production. The album bounces back and forth between faux-hardcore and painfully bad New Jack Swing tracks that made the whole album sound like they were reaching for success at the expense of their dignity. It's just not genuine at all, and the often mediocre lyrics don't help.

So, yes, I'm gonna put this album away and probably never pull it out again. And, I suggest everyone else do the same, and remember Run D.M.C. for their catalog of classic music because this album is a bad representation of both them and Hip Hop music. I'm fairly confident that they hope you do this too, as they are probably pretty embarrassed about this album today. Please forget you ever read this as well.

1988

The year 1988 is said by a lot of hip hop heads to be the golden era, or best year for the music. I don't really agree or disagree with this statement. There are lot of great albums released in other years which I can't live without either. But, I definitely see the point. It just so happens that 1988 is the year I really started paying attention to hip hop and buying albums - well, cassette tapes.

I was young. Really young. But, I wanted to be like my big brother, so whatever he was into I was into basically. He gravitated towards hip hop, and I followed. The start of Yo! MTV Raps didn't hurt either. In fact, the show probably played a large part in bringing hip hop to a lot of people. We watched it all the time. We used to record videos on VHS tapes and watch them over and over again.

I got my mom to take me to the mall up the street from us one night. There were two music stores in it then - Record Town and Camelot. I think I went to Record Town that night. I don't think you could find even one music store in that mall today. This is where I bought my first hip hop cassette: Tougher Than Leather by Run D.M.C. I still remember her letting me unwrap it and put it in for the ride home in her new 1988 Pontiac Grand Am. I remember turning it up to hear "Run's House" and "Mary Mary". I listened to that tape over and over again.

1988 was a good year for me as far as hip hop goes. The tapes I have from that year that I bought in the store are as follows (and I included a video from each below)

Run D.M.C. - Tougher Than Leather



By the way, this video is from the movie Tougher Than Leather. I have never seen it. If anyone could get me a copy I would be eternally grateful. I doubt it would be nearly as enjoyable as it would have been when it came out, but I still wanna see it. This is probably my favorite song on the album.

Big Daddy Kane - Long Live The Kane



I still know every word to this song (and pretty much every other one this album).

Kid 'N' Play - 2 Hype



Some may laugh now, but these guys were mega stars when I was little. Great entertainers, and they actually rhymed together, which I liked. Plus, House Party is a classic. No one can argue that.

EPMD - Strictly Business



EPMD was and is my favorite duo of all time.

So, that's my collection from 1988. Don't get me wrong, I heard a lot of other MCs that year. My brother had some tapes, we watched the videos and listened to the radio (which at that time wasn't a complete joke) constantly. But, these are the ones I owned and listened to over and over and over again.

This iissss Christmas Music!!

Merry Christmas everyone!