25 years ago today (4/3/01), Run-D.M.C. released Crown Royal, their seventh—and ultimately final—studio album. The record leaned heavily on guest appearances, pulling in names like Sugar Ray, Fred Durst, and Kid Rock, alongside more natural fits such as Method Man and Nas.
While Crown Royal had its moments, it never quite earned a lasting place among the group’s classic releases. At the time, it still felt like there could be another chapter for the pioneering trio—but that possibility was tragically cut short with the murder of Jam Master Jay on October 30, 2002, marking a definitive end for the group.
For one of the album’s standout cuts, revisit “Queens Day,” featuring Nas and Prodigy of Mobb Deep.