When Hip-Hop Rescued Rock & Roll: Music Is The Glue, Episode 3:

Music Is The Glue Podcast

A wall between two musical worlds came crashing down in 1986 when Run-DMC and Aerosmith joined forces for "Walk This Way," forever altering the landscape of American music. Tony and Smitty take listeners back to this pivotal moment when a struggling rock band met an ascending rap group, creating a collaboration that would save one career while launching another into the mainstream.
Before diving into this genre-defining partnership, we kick things off with our A to Z segment featuring Babyface's groundbreaking debut album "Tender Lover" and the Beastie Boys' diamond-certified "Licensed to Ill." Both records represented watershed moments in music history—Babyface establishing himself as an R&B songwriting powerhouse and the Beasties becoming the second rap act to achieve platinum certification.
The episode's centerpiece explores how "Walk This Way" transformed from an unlikely pairing into a cultural phenomenon. You'll learn how Aerosmith's manager responded with "What's rap?" when first approached about the collaboration, how Steven Tyler discovered hip-hop while buying drugs in New York City neighborhoods, and how Run initially described Aerosmith's lyrics as "gibberish" and "country bumpkin bullshit." Recorded in just one day for $8,000, this collaboration rescued Aerosmith from commercial irrelevance and helped bring rap music into America's living rooms via heavy MTV rotation.
We close with memories of U2's "The Joshua Tree" album, discussing where we were when we first heard these iconic songs and debating why Bono generates such strong reactions among music fans. Whether you're fascinated by musical crossovers, cultural turning points, or simply love hearing about the moments that redefined what music could be, this episode celebrates how unexpected collaborations can break down barriers and create something greater than the sum of its parts.

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Your hosts: https://www.instagram.com/tmoney1968/ & https://www.instagram.com/smittys_soul_shack/

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Remember: No matter the genre, no matter the decade, music is the glue that keeps us together. Stay tuned; stay connected.

Chapters

1. When Hip-Hop Rescued Rock & Roll: Music Is The Glue, Episode 3: (00:00:00)

2. Show Introduction (00:00:22)

3. A to Z: Babyface (00:02:12)

4. A to Z: Beastie Boys (00:05:42)

5. Deep Dive: Run-DMC & Aerosmith (00:09:32)

6. Where Were You: U2's Joshua Tree (00:22:35)

7. Episode Wrap-Up & Next Time (00:29:00)