In a recent conversation with People, Darryl McDaniels opened up about his initial fears and the ultimate triumph of Run-DMC’s collaboration with Aerosmith on ‘Walk This Way.’
His revelation came when the rapper was talking about the new docuseries, ‘Kings From Queens: The Run DMC Story,’ which recently premiered on Peacock. At the heart of their collaboration was the fear of venturing into uncharted territory, as McDaniels admitted:
“It was at a time when nobody was branching out of their lane. So when we first did ‘Walk This Way,’ the perception was everybody in hip-hop is going to hate this because people are scared to do something new.”
Embracing Change In Hip-Hop
“People are scared to get uncomfortable. People are scared to work and think outside of the box because they’re comfortable in that position.”
Studio Tensions And Inspirational Moments
The collaboration’s behind-the-scenes story added layers to their initial fears. In a 2023 chat with Classic Rock, McDaniels recalled a tense studio session with Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler and Joe Perry, which transformed from apprehension to inspiration.
Despite starting with a ‘weak version’ of the track due to their lack of enthusiasm, the presence and performance of Tyler and Perry in the studio motivated Run-DMC to elevate their performance. Darryl explained:
“I and Run knew we had to step our game up. Jay was like, ‘Yo, don’t think of the record as ‘Steven Tyler and Joe Perry’s record,’ think of those lyrics as Run-DMC lyrics.’ So we went in the booth, and that went so good that Steven said, ‘Yo, let me get in with y’all.'”
The team-up of Run-DMC and Aerosmith connected rock and hip-hop, playing a big role in both bands’ stories. It came when Aerosmith got back together, and Run-DMC was very popular. ‘Walk This Way’ showed how they could overcome doubts and mix music styles successfully. The song sold millions, showing how taking creative chances in music can lead to big wins.
You can listen to the song below.
