Rap and rock have always had a complicated relationship — often strained more by the attitudes of the rock community than the music itself.In 2014,Gene Simmonsof KISS famously dismissedRun-D.M.C.andN.W.A’s inductions into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, claiming that rap artists“sample and they talk, not even sing.”Back in 2005,Noel Gallagher— the more sardonic half of Oasis — shareda similarly scathing opinion in an interview with The Guardian, saying, “f–king despise hip hop. Loathe it. Eminem is an f–king idiot and I find 50 Cent the most distasteful character I have ever crossed in my life.”
Ironically, rap and rock are far more alike than their critics care to admit.Both genres are born from rebellion, rooted in marginalized communities, and fueled by a desire to challenge the status quo. They’ve long been branded “provocative” by mainstream society, but at their core, both are expressions of youth discontent — anthems for those who reject the systems built by the elite. Sonically, they share a loud, in-your-face energy that refuses to be ignored.
It was the unlikely collaborationbetween rockersAerosmithand rap pioneers Run-D.M.C.that helped solidify rap rock as a legitimate genre, thanks to their genre-blending hit “Walk This Way.”Like many legendary tracks, “Walk This Way” didn’t just top charts — it also revived Aerosmith’s career, saving them from an early fall from grace and reigniting their success in the ‘80s.
Aerosmith’s Success Was Declining Due to Poor Sales and Substance Abuse
Founded in 1970, the Boston-based band Aerosmith rose to commercial success with their self-titled debut album in 1973, which featured the spine-chilling hit, “Dream On.” Their momentum continued to build, and by the time they released “Toys in the Attic” (1975) and “Rocks” (1976), they had become multi-million sellers, propelled by hits like “Sweet Emotion” and “Back in the Saddle.”However, following their peak in the late ‘70s, their success began to wane.
As the band entered the 1980s, Aerosmith’s future looked increasingly uncertain. In 1979, guitaristJoe Perry— one-half of the infamous “Toxic Twins” duo alongside frontmanSteven Steven Tyler—left the band following a backstage altercation at Cleveland Municipal Stadium. Though such incidents are hardly rare in the world of rock, this particular blow-up reflected the growing frustration within the band,who were struggling to match the success of their 1977 album “Draw the Line” and felt creatively stagnant.
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With Perry gone and focusing on his solo project, the Joe Perry Project, Aerosmith was relegated to playing smaller venues and scaled-down shows.Meanwhile, Tyler was struggling with his worsening substance abuse, which affected his performance.His condition became so severe that during a 1980 concert at the Cumberland County Civic Center, he pretended to collapse on stage just four songs into the set — too intoxicated to continue. Their 1982 album “Rock in a Hard Place,” produced with a hefty $1.5 million budget, failed to emulate their previous success. Critically panned, itreceived just one out of five stars from The Rolling Stone Album Guide.
Aerosmith’s Career Was Saved by This 22-Year-Old Producer
Luckily, Aerosmith was about to get a second shot at fame — and it was all thanks to an up-and-coming producer namedRick Rubin. If that name sounds familiar, it’s because he’s one of the most in-demand producers in the music industry.At just 21 years old, he founded Def Jam Records in 1984— the same label that would go on to launch the careers ofLL Cool J,Jay-Z,Rihanna, andKanye West. What’s even more impressive is that he started Def Jam while still a student at NYU, using his dorm room as the label’s first headquarters.
In 1984, two years before the rap-rock mashup happened, Rubin met Run-D.M.C. at a party for the “Graffiti Rock” TV show. By 1986, he was producing the group’s third album, “Raising Hell” — which would end up including the now-iconic Aerosmith collaboration.According to the song’s lore, Rubin overheard the group messing around with a riff on the turntable. Turns out, it was from Aerosmith’s original version of “Walk This Way,” off their 1975 album “Toys in the Attic.” That’s when Rubin had a eureka moment.No stranger to mixing up genres (he once sampled AC/DC’s “Back in Black” for the Beastie Boys' “Rock Hard”), Rubin reached out to Aerosmith’s manager Tim Collins to pitch the idea of a rap-rock “Walk This Way” collaboration.
Fortunately, unlike Simmons or Gallagher’s snobby rock mentality, Aerosmith was open to crossing genres.Although admittedly,Tyler wasn’t super familiar with rap but was a fan— he recalled seeing guys selling cassette tapes of rap music on Ninth Avenue or while walking around Midtown and Downtown. As for Perry, who had just rejoined Aerosmith in 1984, he got a crash course in rap from his 13-year-old stepson. He mentioned listening toDoug E. Fresh,the Sugarhill Gang, and Run-D.M.C.’s first album.
‘Walk This Way’ Revolutionized the Rap Rock Genre and the Music Industry
Granted, “Walk This Way” wasn’t the first time rap and rock collided.Back in 1984, Run-D.M.C. had already made waves with “Rock Box,” which featured guitar work from veteran session musicianEddie Martinez. But it was the “Walk This Way” collaboration that showcased the creative chemistry between two groups with no shared history — yet who managed to create something entirely fresh and genre-defying.
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Their MTV music video was almost a statement in itself. It opened with the two bands divided by a literal wall — and then smashing through it,symbolizing the breakdown of barriers between musicians, genres, and communities. Their collaboration catapulted Run-D.M.C. into mainstream stardom, with “Raising Hell” going triple platinum. Meanwhile, Aerosmith’s career was jolted back to life — their 1987 album “Permanent Vacation” sold ten times more than its predecessor.
More importantly, “Walk This Way” helped pave the road for future rap-rock acts to emerge.Rage Against the Machineproduced politically charged anthems like “Bulls on Parade,” proving rap-rock could be powerful and provocative.Limp Bizkitbrought their A-game with rap vocals and searing guitar riffs, especially on “Rollin’,” which famously became the soundtrack for theUndertaker’s entrance at WrestleMania XIX. And then cameLinkin Park, combining nu-metal and hip-hop with an explosive force. “Walk This Way” didn’t just revive Aersomith’s career or introduce Run-D.M.C. ’s to a predominantly white audience — it left behind a musical blueprint that would inspire generations of artists to come.
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