On this episode of the Long Island Music & Entertainment Hall of Fame Podcast, host Tom Needham welcomes noted hip-hop historian JayQuan to discuss his new book Run-DMC and Raising Hell: 40 Years. The conversation celebrates the lasting impact of Run-DMC—trailblazers of hip-hop and inductees of the Long Island Music & Entertainment Hall of Fame—while revisiting one of the most influential albums ever released.
JayQuan’s book takes a comprehensive look at Raising Hell, the groundbreaking 1986 album produced by Rick Rubin and Russell Simmons. The record became the first hip-hop album to achieve multi-platinum status, ultimately selling more than three million copies in the United States. It helped redefine the genre’s reach, especially through the landmark single “Walk This Way,” a collaboration with Aerosmith that bridged rap and rock and brought hip-hop firmly into the mainstream. Drawing from interviews with Joseph “Run” Simmons, Darryl “DMC” McDaniels, and key collaborators, the book offers track-by-track analysis, historical insight, and a detailed account of the album’s creation, promotion, and enduring cultural influence.
JayQuan is a respected voice in hip-hop scholarship, known for his deep research and firsthand interviews with pioneering artists and industry figures. Run-DMC and Raising Hell: 40 Years documents the evolution of the culture while preserving the stories behind its most important recordings and movements.
The Long Island Music & Entertainment Hall of Fame Podcast, hosted by Tom Needham, features conversations with a wide range of artists and creators connected to Long Island’s vibrant music and entertainment scene. Past guests include Stephen Schwartz, Gary U.S. Bonds, Taylor Dayne, Carmine Appice, EPMD, Elliott Murphy, and Jimmy Webb, reflecting the depth and diversity of Long Island’s cultural legacy.
Comments are closed.