“This beat is my recital, I think it’s very vital.”
JOE continues to look at some of our favourite classic songs with a tribute to one of the best hip-hop acts and best dance floor tracks of all-time.
Artist, album and year: Run DMC, Raising Hell, 1986.
Why is it a classic? Before Limp Bizkit and Linkin Park ever thought about mixing rock and rap, Run-DMC and The Beastie Boys were combining brilliant riffs and infectious beats with superb lyrics.
We love that this song wastes no time in getting the crowd dancing as that moment when the tune kicks-in on 0:09 is sublime.
Uber producer Rick Rubin was the man responsible for this album and this track is just one of the best indicators of how important the late and much missed Jam Master Jay was in the group, especially when it came to propelling them forward with his unique ability to re-work some classic riffs from guitar records.
This track also got Run-DMC into some trouble because…
Did you know? Almost 20 years after the song’s release, The Knack sued the band on the grounds that “It’s Tricky” sampled their song “My Sharona” without permission.
Erm, surely it didn’t take The Knack two decades to realise this?
The lyrical hook: “These girls are really sleazy, all they just say is please me, or spend some time and rock a rhyme, I said “It’s not that easy.”
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