Rage Against the Machine — one of the most powerful bands to ever exist. Few bands have reached such legendary heights and ascended to them so quickly, so we celebrate the rap-rock legends with these 10 unforgettable moments.

It only took Rage Against the Machine three months after forming to open for Public Enemy. Bands simply don’t get those opportunities, but RATM were so undeniably brilliant that one of rap’s most important groups immediately took notice. Rage quickly went from playing local record stores to taking over the California music scene, selling three million copies of their self-titled debut.

Rage didn’t relent with their messages once they received mainstream attention. The musicians were always outspoken about politics and society during interviews, even taking a protest to the Lollapalooza’s stage in 1993. The band stunned the audience by taking the stage completely naked with their mouths taped shut and “PMRC” written on their torsos. The demonstration was in opposition to the Parents Music Resource Center, which fought to censor many popular artists during the ‘80s and ‘90s.

Another unforgettable moment has stood the test of time for 17 years. At the 2000 MTV Video Music Awards, bassist Tim Commerford stormed the stage and climbed the set after losing an award to Limp Bizkit. Broadcast live, security struggled to get Tim down, bringing MTV’s ceremony to a standstill. Commerford spent the night in jail and was released the next day. Vocalist Zack de la Rocha was reportedly so embarrassed by the stunt that he left the awards ceremony. Regardless of how he felt, de la Rocha departed RATM the next month, and has only reunited with the band for select shows and tours since then.

Check out these 10 Unforgettable Rage Against the Machine Moments in the Loud List above!

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