Rocktrospectiva: The Groundbreaking "King Of Rock" Turns 40

 

Released on 21 January, 1985 "King Of Rock"  was  the second studio album by American hip hop group Run-D.M.C. The album was produced by Russell Simmons and Larry Smith. Also became the first rap album to be released on CD, and was the third rap album to be certified Platinum. The album saw the group adopting a more rock-influenced sound, with several tracks prominently featuring heavy guitar riffs. The song "Roots, Rap, Reggae" features Yellowman, and was one of the first hybrids of rap and dancehall. The album spawned four singles "King Of Rock", "You Talk Too Much", "Jam-Master Jammin", & "Can You Rock It Like This."

It was the band's groundbreaking album, King of Rock, Run-D.M.C. expanded their musical palette. The album's title itself was equal parts warning, statement of purpose, and legitimate boast. The album signified the group's intentions to pull hip-hop out of the periphery and onto center stage. It was a golden era in the evolution of contemporary music; a time and place in which hip-hop was called "rap".

The music on the album was created by Larry Smith's group Orange Krush using the drum machine Oberheim DMX and Jam Master Jay's scratches mixed in a guitar riff. D.M.C. once commented on this fact: "People forget about Larry Smith, but Larry Smith owned hip-hop and rap. He produced our first two albums, and he produced Whodini. The rock-rap sound was Larry Smith's vision, not Rick Rubin's. Rick changed the story, but Larry was there first. A curious fact on that, because actually, Smith and Run were against the guitar."

The name for the album came up with Corey Robbins, co-owner of Profile Records. He said: "I don't take any credit for the song title, but I did come up with the idea of calling the album that, based on the song title, and keeping it singular. It was so outrageous then-that rappers would call themselves kings of rock, instead of kings of rap. That would've been the obvious title, because they were the kings of rap. They certainly weren't considered rock – yet. Which is why it turned out to be such a cool title: it turned out to be true. They did become rock and roll, in a way; they did get played on rock radio. King of Rap or Kings of Rap would have done nothing for them. King Of Rock was outrageous.

"Slow and Low" was recorded as a demo during the sessions for this album, Beastie Boys had the demo on a tape and decided to record a version after learning it wasn't going to be on King of Rock. Included on the Beastie Boys Album Licensed to Ill (1986). Run-D.M.C.'s version was not officially released until 2005, as an inclusion in the Deluxe edition of King of Rock. 

The album was a huge success, "King Of Rock" featured a highly popular music video who became a fan favotire on the MTV, peaking at No. 52 on the Billboard 200, it quickly gained critical acclaimed, also the single "King Of Rock" peaked on the UK singles chart, and even 40 years later, still sound great and timeless today.

King Of Rock Track List:

 

1. Rock The House

2. King Of Rock

3.You Talk Too Much

4. Jam-Master Jammin'

5. Roots, Rap, Reggae

6. Can You Rock It Like This

7. You're Blind

8. It's Not Funny

9. Darryl And Joe