The Fresno Bee, 17 August 1986 by Don Mayhew
lt seemed appropriate when Run-DMC and four other rap groups turned the floor of Selland Arena into the world's biggest playground Friday night.
After all the region’s biggest basketball games are played on that floor and basketball playgrounds are the place you're most likely to hear rap usually a static electronic drum beat backing one or more vocalists who deliver rapid-fire nursery-rhyme style pronouncements emanating from a portable tape player. The lineup Friday night represented the cream of rap's crop. In addition to the announced performers Run-DMC, Whodini and LL Cool J the full house at Selland was treated to cameo appearances by the Beastie Boys and Berkeley's Timex: Social Club. None of them can match the sense of purpose or cutting imagery of the now-defunct Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five whose best work The Message obviously was a big influence. All heavily relied on call-and-re-sponse patterns with the audience and it lent a wonderfully festive atmosphere to the proceedings. To rate the precise rhythms the groove that are their essence rap groups employ DJs who stand over a couple of turntables and manipulate records allowing spontaneity to remain a part of the live performance. Since there are no instruments to dismantle and move (the turntables are whisked away easily enough) the intermissions between acts were brief. To top the evening off Run-DMC added to the fun by calling Don Mayhew all rappers back to the stage for the night’s last tune "King of Rock”. No question it was a briskly run party. 
But a great night of entertainment consists of more than atmosphere Elements such-as personality creativity and boundless energy apply to all forms of pop and music and it was in those areas that some of the groups’ shortcomings became evident. Faring best were the headliners Run-DMC’s marriage of booming beats and heavy-metal guitar riffs has been hailed as one of the most innovative techniques in pop music. That’s probably stretching it a bit given some thought its obvious the two elements are kissing cousins. Nevertheless it puts Run-DMC a cut above most rappers. Also delightful were the vocal trade-offs between Daryl McDaniels and Joseph Simmons most evident on "Peter Piper" and "Walk This Way". The Aerosmith remake rerecorded with Aerosmith members Steven Tyler and Joe Perry for Run-DMC's “Raising Hell” album gets right to the core of the rappers’ appeal criss-crossing chunks of guitar with the big beat.
Jason Mizelt known as Jam Master Jay was the slickest of the night’s DJs with nary a glitch during Run-DMC’s 45 minutes on stage and some excellent segues between songs. 
Whodini’s 45-minute set included some traces of funk but the group’s front-men seem locked within rap’s narrow framework and they exhibited little of the personality or energy that could make them exceptional. 
The showmanship of LL Cool J was at times a delight. The 18-year-old exudes the swagger of a young Muhammad Ali , and his use of stage props (the DJ’s box was unveiled as a huge portable radio) worked well to minimize the size of the arena. His preening on the other hand became distracting. It was irritatingly chauvinistic as well during "Dear Yvette" an ode to a girl whose morals are in question. If the girls have to behave, so do the boys. 
The Beastie Boys performed two numbers that were fairly unremarkable and the Timex Social Club did a version of its current hit "Rumors” Both acts were hampered by a muddy disjointed sound mix.