Which 1986 Run-D.M.C. album became the first hip-hop album certified platinum?

Run-D.M.C.’s 1986 album Raising Hell became the first hip-hop album certified platinum.

The album marked a major crossover moment for rap. It included “Walk This Way,” a collaboration with rock group Aerosmith that introduced Run-D.M.C.’s sound to many rock listeners and helped establish rap as a major commercial force.

Raising Hell was released by Profile Records on May 15, 1986, and was produced primarily by Rick Rubin and Russell Simmons. It eventually became the group’s best-selling album and was certified triple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America.

The album is sometimes confused with Licensed to Ill, the Beastie Boys’ 1986 debut. Licensed to Ill was the first rap album to reach number one on the Billboard 200, but Raising Hell holds the earlier platinum-certification milestone.