2. Run DMCRaising Hell

After a brief time listening only to pop music and buying a few synth pop records by the Human League, Depeche Mode and Harold Faltermeyer, hip hop was the first distinct genre I really dived into. I think it started with Salt N Pepa, but I soon moved on and got stuck into Run DMC and Public Enemy. Raising Hell was one of the first times I had heard really big drums and more aggressive vocal performances. This is often seen as the classic Run DMC album, but I also loved Tougher Than Leather, which a lot of people hated. After that, I dropped off from following them album by album, especially when metal arrived in my life.