Music / King of Rock

The monarchs themselves.

King of Rock is the second album by Run–D.M.C., released in 1985 and best known for the title track. The record was the first Hip-Hop album to be released on a Compact Disc, hitting the format one year after its LP and cassette releases.

Tracklist:

Side One

1. "Rock the House" (2:42)
2. "King of Rock" (5:14)
3. "You Talk Too Much" (5:59)
4. "Jam-Master Jammin'" (4:20)
5. "Roots, Rap, Reggae" (3:12)

Side Two

1. "Can You Rock It Like This?" (4:30)
2. "You're Blind" (5:31)
3. "It's Not Funny" (5:35)
4. "Darryl and Joe" (6:39)

---

Can You Trope It Like This?

• Album Title Drop:
  I'm the king of rock!
• Alliterative Title: "Jam Master's Jammin'".
• Boastful Rap: "King of Rock", "Jam Master's Jammin'" both praise the band members.
• Call-Back and Continuity Nod: "King of Rock" has some continuity nods to "Sucker MC's", a song from Run–D.M.C.... In "Darryl and Joe Krush Groove" Calvin Klein gets another diss.
• Capitalism Is Bad: "You're Blind":
  You're headed for the top, or so you think
  But that's not true for you, your life is on the brink
  of self-destruction, total corruption
  You better get out or die from consumption
  Sweat for a dollar, to get nothin back
  Cause at the end of the week, you still get taxed
  You'd even sell your soul to make your life correct
  But with the rate of inflation you should eat your check
  So you try to make a hustle, to get ahead
  But the only thing you manage is to stay in the red
  Coppin from John, to sell to Rex
  And your jones for success has put your life in check
• Captain Obvious: Yellowman tells us in "Roots, Rap, Reggae" that "five plus five, equal to ten".
• Celebrity Is Overrated: "Can You Rock It Like This?" shows that fame comes with a price.
  News reporters, invade my borders
  If I think it I will say it, you might have a recorder
  And then, UHH-OHH, the nation's in upheaval
  Old dating always thinking at me evil
  You're stepping on my heels, you're breathing down my neck
  I'm not Rodney Dangerfield, so give me respect
• Chick Magnet: "Can You Rock It Like This?"
  I got jet-set women, who offer me favors
  My face is a thousand lipstick flavors
• Concept Video: The music video for the Title Track depicts Run and DMC being denied entry to a rock 'n' roll museum because they're Hip-Hop artists, to which the duo respond by barging in anyway.
• Crapsack World: "It's Not Funny", though its kind of tongue in cheek too. "You're Blind" about people who don't see how fake their lives are.
• Deal with the Devil: Inverted on "King of Rock".
  And I even made the devil sell me his soul.
• Drugs Are Bad: From "Roots, Rap, Reggae".
  Don't drink alcohol, don't snort cocaine
  Reggae music is not so strange
  Know the cocaine will hurt up your brain.
• Epic Rocking: "You Talk Too Much", which is a six minute "The Reason You Suck" Speech against talkative people.
• Face on the Cover: The band members, but only the top of their heads is shown until the eyes.
• Fake Ultimate Hero: "You're Blind"
  You think your style is chill, because you're always cold
  With your platform shoes and your fake gold
  So you think you're bad
  Sheer dynamite
  But if you only knew the crew called you freak's delight
  Wearin the tightest jeans, and shortest skirt
  You think you're cold chillin, lookin like a jerk
  No matter what you do, come out second rate
  Thinkin you're on time but you're already late
  You're blind
• Motor Mouth: "You Talk Too Much"
  You talk too much! You never shut up!
  I said you talk too much, homeboy, you never shut up!
• Product Placement: "You Talk Too Much"
  You're like the Independent Network News on Channel 9.
  Your mouth is so big, one bite would kill a Big Mac.
  You told the cavity creeps to watch out for Crest.
  • "Darryl and Joe"
  No "Calvin Klein", just wearin' "Lee's".
• Pun-Based Title: "Roots, Rap, Reggae" plays off the title of Bob Marley's song "Roots, Rock, Reggae".
• Questioning Title?: "Can You Rock It Like It This?"
• "The Reason You Suck" Speech: "You Talk Too Much", "You're Blind".
• Rock Star Song: "King of Rock".
  I'm the king of rock, there is none higher
• Rock Trio: "King of Rock"
  There's three of us, but we're not The Beatles.
• Shout-Out:
  • "King of Rock" has the line: "I'm Run from Run-DMC, like Kool from Kool & the Gang" and "There's three of us, but we're not The Beatles". It also has the line: "It's not Michael Jackson and this is not Thriller," which turned out to be prophetic, because Jackson sampled this song in his own number "2 Bad" (1997).
  • You Talk Too Much
  You're always spreading rumors, whether bad or good
  You're the damn Walter Cronkite of the neighborhood
  The Barbara Walters, and the Howard Cosell
  You always come around, with a story to tell
  • "Darryl and Joe" informs us: "We're not like Dr. Seuss or Mother Goose" and "I got more hats than the Mad Hatter."
  • "Roots, Rap, Reggae" is a Pun-Based Title on Bob Marley's song "Roots, Rock, Reggae" from his album Rastaman Vibration (1976).
  • Can You Rock It Like This?
  I'm not Rodney Dangerfield so give me respect.
• Singer Namedrop: "Jam Master Jammin'"
  Jam Master is here and you could not wait
• Special Guest: Reggae/Dancehall singer Yellowman sings along on "Roots, Rap, Reggae".
• Spelling Song: "King of Rock"
  People always ask: "DMC, what does it mean?"
  D's for never dirty, MC for mostly clean.
• Take That!: The music video of "King of Rock" provides a Take That! to white-based rock music history, depicting Run and DMC storming into and taking over a rock 'n' roll museum whose white security won't let them in.
• Title Track: Duh.

---