No. 6 The emergence of Run-D.M.C.
Early hip-hop was all about dance grooves and fun raps–with the genre’s disco and funk heritage on full display in the sound, and it’s punk influence evident in the look. That all changed when Run, DMC and Jam-Master Jay dropped “It’s Like That” towards the end of 1983. The trio from Queens made music that was aggressive and hard, and they dressed like kids dressed on the streets. Their approach forever changed the hip-hop sound and aesthetic, and made them the genre’s first global superstars.
