History Music / KingOfRock

''King of Rock'' is the second album by Music/RunDMC, released in 1985 and best known for the title track. The record was the first HipHop album to be released on a UsefulNotes/CompactDisc, hitting the format one year after its LP and cassette releases.

''King of Rock'' is the second album by Music/RunDMC, released in 1985 and best known for the title track.

''''

* PunBasedTitle: "Roots, Rap, Reggae" on Music/BobMarley's song "Roots, Rock, Reggae".

** ''King 0f Rock'' has the line: "I'm Run from Run-DMC, like Kool from Music/KoolAndTheGang" and "There's three of us, but we're not Music/TheBeatles". It also has the line: "It's not Music/MichaelJackson and this is not ''Music/{{Thriller}}'', which turned out to be prophetic, because Jackson sampled this song in his own number "2 Bad" (1997).

* SpecialGuest:
** Reggae/Dancehall singer Yellowman sings along on "Roots, Rap, Reggae".

* TakeThat: The music video of "King of Rock" provides a TakeThat to white-based rock music history.

* NeoClassicalPunkZydecoRockabilly: "King Of Rock" makes use of electric guitar and "Roots, Rap, Reggae" is a reggae song.

* ActuallyPrettyFunny: "It's Not Funny" lists a lot of situations that aren't hilarious to the person whom they should happen too, but some of them are pretty amusing to the listener. Others are downright ridiculous.

* CutSong: "Slow And Low", which never made it past the demo sessions for ''King Of Rock''. Music/TheBeastieBoys heard the song and sought Run-D.M.C.'s permission to cut their own version [[note]]they changed a couple of the more self-referential lyrics that wouldn't have really made sense delivered by anyone else, but still credited the songwriting entirely to the members of Run-D.M.C. and producer Music/RickRubin[[/note]], which appeared on ''Music/LicensedToIll''. The original "Slow And Low" demo would appear as a bonus track on a 2005 "deluxe edition" of ''King Of Rock''.

* CallBack and ContinuityNod: "King Of Rock" has some continuity nods to "Sucker MC's", a song from ''[[Music/RunDMCAlbum Run–D.M.C.]]''... In "Darryl and Joe Krush Groove" Calvin Klein gets another diss.

* BoastfulRap: "King Of Rock", "Jam Master's Jammin'" both praise the band members.
* CallBack and ContinuityNod: "King Of Rock" has some continuity nods to ''Sucker MC's'', a song from ''[[Music/RunDMCAlbum Run-DMC]]''... In "Darryl and Joe Krush Groove" Calvin Klein gets another diss.

* CrapsackWorld: "It's Not Funny", though it's kind of tongue in cheek too. "You're Blind" about people who don't see how fake their lives are.

* DealWithTheDevil: "King of Rock"

* MotorMouth: "You Talk To Much"

* RockStarSong: "King Of Rock".

** ''King Of Rock'' has the line: "I'm Run from Run-DMC, like Kool from Music/KoolAndTheGang" and "There's three of us, but we're not Music/TheBeatles". It also has the line: "It's not Music/MichaelJackson and this is not ''Music/{{Thriller}}'', which turned out to be prophetic, because Jackson sampled this song in his own number "2 Bad" (1997).

''King Of Rock'' is the second album by Music/RunDMC, released in 1985 and best known for the title track.

'''King Of Rock''' is the second album by ''Music/RunDMC'', released in 1985 and best known for the title track.

* EpicRocking: "You Talk Too Much", which is a six minute ReasonYouSuckSpeech against talkative people.

** ''King Of Rock'' has the line: "I'm Run from Run-DMC, like Kool from Music/KoolAndTheGang" and "There's three of us, but we're not Music/TheBeatles". It also has the line: "It's not Music/MichaelJackson and this not 'Music/{{Thriller}}', which would turn out to be prophetic, because Jackson sampled this song in his own number "2 Bad" (1997).

* TakeThat: The music video of "King Rock" provides a TakeThat to white-based rock music history.

''''

* AlbumTitleDrop: "I'm the king of rock!"
* BoastfulRap: "King Of Rock", "Jam Master's Jammin'".

* CelebrityIsOverrated: "Can You Rock It Like This?"

* CutSong: "Slow And Low", which never made it past the demo sessions for ''King Of Rock''. The BeastieBoys heard the song and sought Run-D.M.C.'s permission to cut their own version [[note]]they changed a couple of the more self-referential lyrics that wouldn't have really made sense delivered by anyone else, but still credited the songwriting entirely to the members of Run-D.M.C. and producer Music/RickRubin[[/note]], which appeared on ''Licensed To Ill''. The original "Slow And Low" demo would appear as a bonus track on a 2005 "deluxe edition" of ''King Of Rock''.
* DealWithTheDevil: From "King of Rock"
--> And I even made the devil sell me his soul.

* ProductPlacement:
** "You Talk Too Much"

* RockTrio: From "King of Rock"
--> There's three of us, but we're not Music/TheBeatles.

* SpellingSong: From "King of Rock"

--> Don't drink alcohol, don't snort cocaine
--> Reggae music is not so strange
--> Know the cocaine will hurt up your brain.

--> 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

--> "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."

--> 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

--> I'm not Creator/RodneyDangerfield so give me respect.

--> People always ask: "DMC, what does it mean?"
--> D's for never dirty, MC for mostly clean.

---

** ''King Of Rock'' has the line: "I'm Run from Run-DMC, like Kool from Music/KoolAndTheGang" and "There's three of us, but we're not Music/TheBeatles". It also has the line: "It's not Music/MichaelJackson and this not 'Music/{{Thriller}}', why would turn out to be prophetic, because Jackson sampled this song in his own number "2 Bad" (1997).

** ''King Of Rock'' has the line: "It's not Music/MichaelJackson and this not 'Music/{{Thriller}}' and "I'm Run from Run-DMC, like Kool from Music/KoolAndTheGang". They also rap: "There's three of us, but we're not Music/TheBeatles"

--> I'm not Creator/RodneyDangerfield