Watch Bombuj. Run DMC paved the way for rap artists of today when they broke onto the scene in the early 1980s. Pioneers of the ever-evolving genre, they knew early on that rap music was a force to be dealt with, and they've commanded respect ever since. With the passing of Jam Master Jay, one-third of their blockbuster team, the surviving members take a look back at their triumphant career as one of music's most important icons.