Tougher Than Leather

The success that Run-D.M.C. enjoyed through its first three albums is impossible to overstate. Before the trio from Hollis, Queens, stomped its shell-toe Adidas through the music industry, hip-hop was completely unproven as a commercial force.

Just about every 'first' in the genre's history was accomplished by Run-D.M.C.. It was the first hip-hop act to earn Gold, Platinum, and multi-Platinum album certifications. They were also the first to have a music video play on MTV, the first to appear on the cover of Rolling Stone, the first to nab a Grammy nomination, and the first to sign a major endorsement deal.