Run_dmc_its_tricky Official

They have the beat—a heavy, distorted guitar riff sampled from The Knack’s "My Sharona"—but the lyrics aren't clicking. Run pace the floor, his Adidas Superstars squeaking against the linoleum.

Run looks at D.M.C. A grin spreads across his face. He grabs the mic, the cord trailing behind him like a tail. run_dmc_its_tricky

D.M.C. jumps in without missing a beat, his booming baritone providing the anchor: "To rock (a rhyme), that's right (on time), 'It's Tricky' is the title, here we go!" They have the beat—a heavy, distorted guitar riff

"It’s about the hustle, J," Run says, waving a hand toward the speakers. "Everyone thinks this rap thing is just talking over a record. They think you just wake up, grab a mic, and you're a star." A grin spreads across his face

D.M.C. leans back, his signature thick-rimmed glasses catching the studio lights. "It’s the technicality of it. The breath control. The timing. People see the gold chains, but they don't see the hours we spend matching the rhyme to the pocket of the snare."

Jam Master Jay drops the needle on a fresh slab of vinyl, scratching in a sharp, chirping sound. "It’s tricky," he mutters, focused on the mixer. Run stops dead. "What did you say?"

"This speech is my recital, I think it's very vital..." he starts, his voice staccato and commanding.