Run–D.M.C. was an American
hip hop group from
Hollis, Queens,
New York, founded in 1981 by
Joseph Simmons,
Darryl McDaniels, and
Jam Master Jay. The group is widely acknowledged as one of the most influential acts in the history of
hip hop culture. Run–D.M.C. is one of the best-known hip hop acts in the 1980s who, along with
LL Cool J,
The Beastie Boys, and
Public Enemy, signified the advent of the
new school of hip hop music. They were the first group in the genre to have a
gold album (
Run–D.M.C., 1984) and be nominated for a
Grammy Award. They were the first to earn a
platinum record (
King of Rock, 1985), the first to earn a multiplatinum certification (
Raising Hell, 1986), the first to have videos on
MTV, and the first to appear on
American Bandstand and the cover of
Rolling Stone. Run–D.M.C. was the only hip hop act to perform at
Live Aid in 1985.