Tuesday 8th December , London UK; Cultural icons and hip-hop legends RUN DMC and 12on12 release ​their first in a series of collaborations in tribute to Jam Master Jay today.

The pioneering New York group have curated the exclusive limited edition 12" vinyl only compilation with bespoke artwork by rising LA artist Reena Tolentino, aka 'RT'.

The 12on12 deluxe, double disc package is limited to 500 hand-numbered editions and embodies the story of RUN-DMC's legacy within the handpicked iconic track-listing, featuring songs that inspired, affected and changed the ground-breaking group’s music.

The first release in celebration of the 35th anniversary of seminal 1986 album Raising Hell, RUN DMC pay tribute to their late bandmate Jam Master Jay and dedicate this project in his honour.
12on12 has formed a partnership with RUN DMC and this record is the first project they will release together in tribute to Jam Master Jay.

The release offers a fascinating insight into RUN DMC, one of the most influential groups of all time. Alongside tracks by early rap trailblazers The Sugarhill Gang and Afrika Bambaataa, the group have also highlighted songs that helped form the sonic foundations of the nascent hip hop sound as it emerged and evolved in New York in the early 1980s, including the breaks-goldmine of MFSB’s Love Is The Message and Kraftwerk’s game-changing Trans-Europe Express, a song rarely licensed for any compilation.

RUN DMC say​ “There are so many things that influence and inspire us. Music is one of them. It’s a never ending process. We are happy to showcase where some of it comes from! It all starts and ends with vinyl! If it ain’t vinyl...Then it ain’t vinyl!”

The unique work of art for the record has been designed by one of the most exciting names on the LA art scene, Reena Tolentino. A visual artist and actor, RT’s work rose to prominence after her acclaimed mural of late basketball icon Kobe Bryant. In addition to providing artwork and portraits of RUN DMC for the project she has also reinterpreted one of the most iconic hip-hop logo's of all time with a rework of the classic RUN DMC logo.

The release continues to cement 12on12’s reputation for unique ‘vinylworks’ and bespoke collectors’ editions that live at the intersection of music, art and pop culture, providing a unique canvas for cultural icons to curate the soundtracks to their lives.

With global trends growing around nostalgia and legacy artists dominating consumption both within rising vinyl sales and across streaming platforms, 12on12 continue to prove themselves an exciting creative brand capturing an incresingly powerful part of the zeitgeist.