I was googling just now looking for Run DMC cover art for my iTunes and found this blog post by a guy named Bomani titled "
7 Reasons Why UGK is Better than Run-DMC." The title made me chuckle. After I read the piece I kinda felt a way about it. I'm ashamed of that fact internets. Rule number one of the internets is 'don't pay attention to anything people type on the internets.' So what do I do? I go and write an entire response blog instead. I'm sorry internets.
Before we begin let me preface this by saying that I'm from the midwest. Name any artist or group from the Bay Area, Texas, or Tennessee that went on to do anything of notable interest connected with a major label & we probably had their independent projects in our stores. Too $hort was the man for longer than I can remember. You couldn't convince people that Suave House wasn't really that big. The point I'm trying to make is that I'm not east coast biased. But I also have to preface this with the fact that besides a tape somebody left in my car once I've never owned an UGK album until at least 2005. I'm still not awfully familiar with their work.
Alright, lets break down Bomani's 7 reasons.
1. Of the four rappers in this discussion – Run, DMC, Pimp C, and Bun-B – the dopest emcee is Bun. I'll give him this one. But lets note that Bun stepped his game up a lot. There is nothing special about either UGK rapper on those earlier albums. However, this whole argument is kind of ridiculous because Run DMC were never respected lyricists. See Kool Moe Dee & Ultramagnetic MC's.
2. UGK stuck around way, way, way longer than Run-DMC. What? Bomani is giving UGK all the way to 2009 which is 18 years (wow I'm getting old). If you ask me that last album shouldn't count but I'll give it to Bomani (no homo). But in that case you have to give Run DMC 19 years because even though they were probably officially done well beforehand, Run DMC didn't officially disband until Jay died. Bomani then goes on to make an argument which I completely fail to understand about UGK's first album coming out the same year as Tougher Than Leather. So? Tougher Than Leather was Run DMC's fourth album! Then Bomani points out the fact opinion that UGK went on to rap with two generations of emcees who were influenced by them. I'm not sure what his definition of "generation" is but Run DMC is like the bridge between old school & new school eras so that makes them influential over the Golden Era, the early/mid 90's, & once again in the late 90's when they brought in some of the best artists of the time to work on Down With The King. UGK is really only two eras deep.
3. Pimp C, the musical genius. Bomani says that because Pimp C handled so much of UGK's production himself UGK > Run DMC. What part of the game is this? Can you knock an artist down a notch or two simply because they don't produce? By that logic everyone should take Big, Pac, & Jay-Z out of their top five.
4. UGK's music was more evocative. Ugh... I guess I'll give him this one too. Run DMC was not about making you have feelings & telling you hood stories. They have their "conscious" moments but they didn't really make an effort to get into that lane until Back From Hell & it wasn't really accepted.
5. UGK's got a stronger catalog. Fail. If you had the opportunity to choose between owning Run DMC's or UGK's publishing only an idiot would choose UGK.
6. UGK did this without the advantage of being in New York. Understand this, when Run DMC did it all there was was New York! If Run DMC & UGK were born of the same era this point might hold some weight.
7. UGK did this without the promotional push Run-DMC had. Bomani, cut it out. I'm confused about what point he's trying to make with his "UGK's first video came out 13 years after Walk This Way." So? Walk This Way isn't Run DMC's first video. In fact, it's from their third album. But the kicker is he goes on to say that Ridin Dirty going gold without a video is nearly as impressive as the success of Raising Hell. Are you crazy? Raising Hell was like Get Rich Or Die Trying on crack! Walk This Way was the first rap video I recall seeing on MTV more than just every once in awhile. And back then MTV played videos all damn day. UGK might not have been favorites on their label & might not have gotten the push they deserved but Run DMC were up against a totally different monster... America hadn't accepted rap yet.
Shoutouts to Bun B & Pimp C but saying UGK > Run DMC is downright laughable. I mean, we all have our own personal tastes & obviously Bomani's lean towards UGK & mine are with Run DMC but strip away all the emotional stuff & Run DMC's career eclipses not just UGK but the vast majority of everyone who has ever picked up the mic.
I was googling just now looking for Run DMC cover art for my iTunes and found this blog post by a guy named Bomani titled "7 Reasons Why UGK is Better than Run-DMC." The title made me chuckle. After I read the piece I kinda felt a way about it. I'm ashamed of that fact internets. Rule number one of the internets is 'don't pay attention to anything people type on the internets.' So what do I do? I go and write an entire response blog instead. I'm sorry internets. 
