On this date 41 years ago, RUN DMC released their sophomore album King Of Rock, a project that did not just push Hip Hop forward but kicked the door open for it to stand shoulder to shoulder with rock music on a global stage.
Released in 1985, King Of Rock arrived at a time when Hip Hop was still fighting for legitimacy beyond urban radio and block parties. RUN DMC, made up of Run, DMC, and Jam Master Jay, were already stars off the strength of their debut, but this album was a declaration. The title alone was confrontational, aimed directly at an industry that had not yet fully accepted rap as a dominant musical force.
The album built on the stripped down, hard hitting sound that RUN DMC helped popularize. There were no disco leftovers, no glossy arrangements, just booming drum machine beats, sharp scratches, and commanding vocals. Songs like “King Of Rock”, “You Talk Too Much”, “Rock Box”, and “Jam Master Jay” established a new standard for what Hip Hop could sound like. Rock Box in particular became historic as one of the first rap videos to receive heavy rotation on MTV, placing Hip Hop in front of audiences who had rarely been exposed to it.
King Of Rock was also important culturally. RUN DMC’s look, Adidas tracksuits, black fedoras, unlaced sneakers, reflected the streets rather than stage costumes. Their presence was unapologetic and direct, and the music matched that energy. They did not ask for space. They took it.
While the album did not have the crossover commercial explosion of Raising Hell, it laid the groundwork for everything that followed. King Of Rock went gold and further solidified RUN DMC as leaders of a movement, not just hitmakers. It showed that Hip Hop could challenge rock on its own terms without compromise.
Forty one years later, King Of Rock stands as a milestone in Hip Hop history. It represents a moment when rap stopped knocking and started claiming territory, changing the music industry forever in the process.
Salute to RUN DMC for making history, breaking barriers, and reminding the world exactly who was next up.