It’s Tricky to rock a rhyme, to rock a rhyme that’s right on time.
It’s Tricky… it’s Tricky (Tricky) Tricky (Tricky)
“It’s Tricky” by Run-DMC was released in 1986 but has now become part of Tik Tok’s “history” as it is frequently used by Tik Tok creators and influencers. The song was popularized in the movie “White Chicks” which was released in 2004, bringing the song to light for Millennials and Generation Z. However, there is so much more ground to cover when it comes to this ultimate trio.
Run-DMC was formed in Hollis, Queens, New York in the early 1980s and consisted of rappers Joseph “Run” Simmons, Darryl “DMC” McDaniels, and DJ Jason “Jam Master Jay” Mizell. As kids, Simmons and McDaniels would go to their local park to bust some rhymes and it just so happened to be the same park where they met Mizell. After weeks of drawing in a crowd with their skills, they soon enlisted Run’s older brother, Russell Simmons, to manage their group. This eventually led them to sign with Profile Records, an urban-oriented music label, under the name of Run-DMC (a name that they initially disliked at first.)
Run-DMC released their first single, “It’s Like That (Sucker MC’s), in 1983. In 1984, they released their own self-titled album that contained three major hits, number one being the song, “Rock Box,” which was a mix of both rap and rock, everso solidifying the unique sound of this trio.
As the rap-world sound changed, so did the look and style of pop culture. The group is well-known for their flashy rhinestones and leather boots look, as well as street-style inspired fedoras and the famous Adidas sneakers.
After extensive touring and world-wide performances all of 1984, Run-DMC returned home in late 1985 and went to lyrical lockdown to produce yet another album. Little did they know that this album, “Raising Hell,” would be such a significant turning point in their career, as well as on the Billboard charts.
Coming up next on The Hip-Hop Chronic: “Rap AND Rock? There’s no way!”