Raising Hell

Raising Hell is the landmark 1986 album by the legendary Queens, New York hip-hop group Run-D.M.C. The group consisted of Joseph Simmons, Darryl McDaniels, and Jason Mizell, better known as Run, DMC, and Jam Master Jay.

The album is famous for the crossover hit Walk This Way, which famously featured the rock band Aerosmith. The groundbreaking collaboration successfully merged hip-hop and rock, exposing the genre to a massive mainstream audience.

The 1986 album was a massive hit, becoming the first rap record in history to achieve multi-platinum status. It reached number 3 on the Billboard 200 chart and proved that hip-hop could be a highly lucrative commercial enterprise.

The album was produced by Rick Rubin and Russell Simmons under their Def Jam Recordings label. Rubin's production style famously stripped the music down to heavy drum beats, aggressive scratching, and raw vocals, moving away from the disco influences of earlier rap.