There was a moment in the mid-80s when music stopped politely asking permission and just kicked the damn door off the hinges. *Raising Hell* was that sound. Three guys in Adidas and fedoras marching straight through the wall separating “rap music” from “American culture” while the rest of the industry stood there blinking like they’d just witnessed a bank robbery in broad daylight.
And on vinyl? Forget it. This thing doesn’t play, it detonates. “Peter Piper” sounds like Jam Master Jay hijacked a block party and wired it directly into your nervous system. The bass rattles the furniture, the scratches cut like broken glass, and Run and DMC bark through the speakers like street prophets with zero interest in subtlety.
Everybody talks about “Walk This Way,” but the deeper magic is that the album never feels calculated. It feels dangerous. Sweaty. Loud. Like somebody spilled beer on the control board and accidentally changed music history.
Fantastic piece. This is exactly the kind of album that reminds you vinyl isn’t nostalgia, it’s evidence.
the first eponymous album -- yes an album-- is far more important and influential
Raising Hell arrived on the heels of the terrifying first Schoolly D album -- yes another album-- and the postpunk Licensed to Ill which completed the trifecta
Raising Hell was a massive crossover success and mostly consolidated earlier gains
but then the first three PE albums made it sound perfectly quaint
When I go back and listen to Run and LL and some of the others of this era it’s always as hard and heavy to me as much of the metal I loved. So much attitude and power.
There was a moment in the mid-80s when music stopped politely asking permission and just kicked the damn door off the hinges. *Raising Hell* was that sound. Three guys in Adidas and fedoras marching straight through the wall separating “rap music” from “American culture” while the rest of the industry stood there blinking like they’d just witnessed a bank robbery in broad daylight.
And on vinyl? Forget it. This thing doesn’t play, it detonates. “Peter Piper” sounds like Jam Master Jay hijacked a block party and wired it directly into your nervous system. The bass rattles the furniture, the scratches cut like broken glass, and Run and DMC bark through the speakers like street prophets with zero interest in subtlety.
Everybody talks about “Walk This Way,” but the deeper magic is that the album never feels calculated. It feels dangerous. Sweaty. Loud. Like somebody spilled beer on the control board and accidentally changed music history.
Fantastic piece. This is exactly the kind of album that reminds you vinyl isn’t nostalgia, it’s evidence.
the first eponymous album -- yes an album-- is far more important and influential
Raising Hell arrived on the heels of the terrifying first Schoolly D album -- yes another album-- and the postpunk Licensed to Ill which completed the trifecta
Raising Hell was a massive crossover success and mostly consolidated earlier gains
but then the first three PE albums made it sound perfectly quaint
still
props to these guys
first there and they paved the way
I may not agree completely but by god those PE albums are fantastic!
When I go back and listen to Run and LL and some of the others of this era it’s always as hard and heavy to me as much of the metal I loved. So much attitude and power.
I played Mama Said Knock You Out the other day and was blown away by just how good it sounded.
Dope! That’s a good one.
It’s Tricky was my jam! That speech was my recital. 😝