Run DMC is the latest hip-hop group to create their own non-fungible tokens, minting limited edition vinyl artwork from their ’12on12′ compilation.
The drop is set to mark the 35th anniversary of their 1986 album ‘Raising Hell’, as well as pay tribute to the late Jam Master Jay. The DJ was fatally shot inside a recording studio in Queens, New York City on October 30, 2002. His alleged killers remained a mystery until August last year when charges against the suspects were laid.
The NFT artwork is designed by Los Angeles-based artist Reena Tolentino and is available in, fittingly, 12 different variations here. They are currently valued each at £66,388.40 ($92,135.58 USD).
The ’12on12′ compilation features music that inspired the band and embodies their legacy, including tracks from Kraftwerk, Chic and Grandmaster Flash, alongside Aerosmith’s ‘Walk This Way’, which Run DMC famously covered themselves in 1986.
DMC of the group spoke to NME about the compilation last year, highlighting in particular the influence of Kraftwerk on nascent hip-hop.
“Kraftwerk were a foundation of hip-hop not just because of their music, but they built their own machines and computers,” DMC said.
“They were doing the same thing as young boys and girls in the Bronx were doing at the beginning of hip-hop. We didn’t have studios but we heard their music and there was something in their music that connected us. If you listen to the early years of hip-hop… we followed the blueprint of a group from Germany.”