Let's take a step back to figure out why Def Jam Records would even want to put out a rap cover of a rock song. The truth is that Simmons and Rubin saw the potential of a "Walk This Way" cover and forced Run-DMC to record it at the outset, the rappers hated the whole idea. Without legendary producers and Def Jam founders Russell Simmons and Rick Rubin, this song never would have happened.
The story of "Walk This Way" has just as much to do with Def Jam Records as it does the two bands themselves.
Catchy beats and riffs-that's exactly what rap producers look for when they pull samples for hooks for their songs. And let's not ignore the rest of the band: the fact that Aerosmith has been able to stick around for so long surely has something to do with Joe Perry and the other members' seemingly magical ability to put together catchy beats and riffs. Listen to the original version of "Walk This Way" to see what we mean. His quick-lipped lyrical style and talents for rhyme and storytelling meant that his vocal skills were already a bit reminiscent of rap. With King of Rock (1985), their second album, the group proved that rap and rock could coexist on a record.Īerosmith, meanwhile, had Steven Tyler on the microphone. Run-DMC had rapped over rock music before ("It's Tricky" samples The Knacks' "My Sharona") and the band even features wailing electric guitars on some of its songs ("Rock Box" and "Raising Hell" are excellent examples). It also introduced a huge number of people to Run-DMC – and to rap music in general – paving the way for the genre's subsequent massive worldwide success.īut why did it happen with this particular song?įirst of all, Aerosmith and Run-DMC were both perfectly positioned to blend genre lines. The song was a top five pop hit, sold millions of copies, and helped relaunch Aerosmith's then-faltering career. Run-DMC's 1986 cover of Aerosmith's "Walk This Way" launched rap music into the American mainstream.
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