On July 4, 1986, Run DMC made history by dropping one of the most iconic crossover tracks in Hip Hop — the genre-blending smash “Walk This Way” featuring rock legends Steven Tyler and Joe Perry of Aerosmith.
Darryl “DMC” McDaniels, Joseph “Run” Simmons, and the late great DJ Jam Master Jay reimagined Aerosmith’s 1975 classic, flipping it into a pioneering moment that would forever shift the boundaries of Hip Hop. The single, featured on their third studio album Raising Hell, wasn’t just a hit. It was a cultural turning point.
By teaming up with Aerosmith, Run DMC helped bridge the gap between rap and rock at a time when such collaborations were nearly unheard of. The track exploded across both radio and MTV, introducing Hip Hop to a wider, more mainstream audience and giving Aerosmith a jolt of new life in the process.
“Walk This Way” wasn’t just a chart topping anthem; it was a bold statement that Hip Hop was here to stay, capable of holding its own in any arena. Almost four decades later, it still stands as one of the most influential records in music history.