By the 1986, hip-hop was exploding. Among the year' highlights: Run-D.M.C. released Raising Hell, Eric B. & Rakim debuted with "Eric B. Is President", and The Juice Crew and Boogie Down Productions went to battle with "The Bridge" and "The Bridge Is Over", respectively. 1986 was also the year that female rapper MC Lyte stepped into the fray with "Crom to Understand", Salt-N-Pepa scored with "Push It" and the Beastie Boys released Licensed to III.



"Raising Hell"

Run-D.M.C.'s Raising Hell was a monster album that more than lived up to its title. Produced by Def Jam's Rick Rubin, it was a mad combination of rock and rap, and melded elements of the two genres to full effect. Featuring tracks like the hit single "Walk this way" (a collaboration with seventies rockers Aerosmith), "My Adidas" and "Proud to be Black"; it caught attention of rap and rock fans alike, helping to forge a seemingly unlikely alliance between the two camps.

"Eric B. is President"

When now-legendary hip hop duo Eric B. & Rakim released their debut single "Eric B. is President" in 1986, the record immediately became a street sensation. Using a funky James Brown loop, Eric B. & Rakim crafted a classic record that for many captured the essence of hip-hop. The following year, their full-length release Paid in Full proved that this was no fluke - Eric B. & Rakim were a hip-hop force to be reckoned with.

"The Bridge is Over"

1986 brought the dawning of one hip-hop's most legendary battles. It began when The Juice Crew's Marley Marl and MC Shan released "The Bridge". Originally created for a park party, a tape of the song got out to the neighborhood. It didn't take long for Boogie Down Productions (BDP) to hit back with their scathing response. BDP's KRS-One and DJ Scott La Rock dropped a record called "The Bridge is Over" and the battle was on.



"Licensed to III" - Read more about The Beastie Boys here

The Beastie Boys made their mark on the hip hop map in 1986 with the release of their debut album "Licensed to III", on Def Jam. Offering a mix of rap and rock, the album earned praise from fans of both genres. Rock fans especially took to tracks like "Fight For Your Right" and "NO Sleep Till Brooklyn". As this 1986 press release states: "The Beastie's music combines a rocker's love of loud guitars with a rapper's love of rhymes, and the love of both for hard, funky beats".