How did Run-DMC combine rap music with hard rock?

Run-DMC pioneered the fusion of rap and hard rock by integrating aggressive, guitar-driven sounds into their hip-hop tracks, a style that helped bring the genre into the mainstream.123

The group’s approach to this fusion included:

• Hardcore Production: Tracks like "Rock Box" (1984) featured a blend of hardcore hip-hop beats and screaming guitar solos, establishing a signature sound that appealed to a broader, rock-oriented audience on MTV.1
• Collaborative Remakes: In 1986, Run-DMC collaborated with the hard-rock band Aerosmith to record a remake of their 1975 hit "Walk This Way." By featuring Aerosmith’s original vocalist, Steven Tyler, and guitarist, Joe Perry, the track successfully bridged the gap between the two genres.43
• Mainstream Success: This collaboration became the first rap hit to reach the Top Five on the pop charts, and its music video became an MTV staple, significantly expanding the commercial reach of hip-hop.43

This innovative blending of styles was instrumental in establishing Run-DMC as a "new-school" rap act and helped solidify their place in music history, leading to their eventual induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.13