Run-D.M.C.

One of the best rap groups ever.

Information: Run-D.M.C.
Suggested first purchase/album: Raising Hell
Suggested best of: Ultimate Run-D.M.C.

Run-D.M.C. (1984) -- Tough and spare rap that insists itself upon you in nice ways. Shows what can happen with strong personalities, a drum machine, and some heavy metal samples. Highlights include "Hard Times," "It's Like That," and "30 Days."

King of Rock (1985) -- Roughly the same as the first album, which isn't a bad thing. This one also features some funnier tracks like "You Talk Too Much." The 2005 deluxe edition of the album is worth having simply for its inclusion of the demo version of "Slow and Low" which eventually ended up on the Beastie Boys' first album.

Raising Hell (1986) -- No one should be without this, the first great rap album. If you've become used to 90s and 00s rap (at least the mainstream kind), this album will be so refreshing to you, whether you ever heard it or not originally. Where the first two (already great) albums had some of the best rapping and beats, this goes beyond that musically and fleshes out the sound so that it's more like legitimate music (something you could argue rap wasn't sometimes). From the irresistible go-go bells of "Peter Piper" to "It's Tricky" to the duet with Aerosmith ("Walk This Way," which actually introduced me to Aerosmith via Run D.M.C. instead of vice-versa as was the case with many listeners) to the humor of "You Be Illin'" and "Dumb Girl" and finally to a personal favorite "Proud To Be Black," this album is exceptional.