Down with the King is the sixth studio album by American hip hop group Run-DMC, released on May 4, 1993, by Profile Records. The album was produced by Run-DMC, Pete Rock, Q-Tip, EPMD, KayGee of Naughty by Nature, Jam Master Jay, the Bomb Squad, Daniel Shulman, Chyskills, Jermaine Dupri and Clifton "Specialist" Dillon.
Showcasing their evolving style, this innovative album boasted invited guests, including reggae star Mad Cobra and Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello. The album features guest appearances from rappers Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth, Q-Tip, EPMD and Onyx. Down with the King was generally received more favorably by fans and critics than the group's previous album, Back from Hell.
Thanks to the title track, the album was certified Gold by the RIAA after only two months, July 20, 1993. Down with the King peaked at number 7 on the US Billboard 200, and number 1 on the Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums chart.
The album features three Billboard singles: "Down with the King", "Ooh, Whatcha Gonna Do" and "Can I Get It, Yo". The title track also hit the UK Singles Chart.
The album was reissued by Arista Records in 1999 and 2003.
Background With the release of the new album, Run-DMC created a new look: All black Walker Wear outfits, black Timberlands and bald heads. DMC replaced traditional glasses with contact lenses and began to wear around his neck a large black wooden cross. Run started wearing sunglasses. Jay began to wear a designer ski hat by April Walker to cover his own bald head.
The album was recorded and mixed at 9 studios in New York City and at 1 studio in Atlanta ("Can I Get A Witness").
Critical response
The album received positive reviews. Jason Lymangrover from AllMusic said "The new sound is decidedly more fashionable, and their fedoras and Adidas are abandoned here for bald heads and baggy black hoodies to match their new gangsta musical direction; which takes an obvious cue from Onyx (signed to Jam Master Jay's label), whose "Slam" was a platinum hit earlier in 1993."
Rolling Stone gave Down with the King three and a half stars out of five, saying "...straight-faced and ultraconfident, funky and forthright...[the album has] the same infectious enthusiasm and the same in-your-face attitude as Run-D.M.C.'s raw earlier classics..."
Entertainment Weekly gave the album "B", saying "...they still manage to sound young, lean, and hungry after 10 years in the rap game...."
Gil Griffin from The Washington Post praised the album by saying:
Videos Two video clips were released on songs from the album: "Down with the King" and "Ooh, Whatcha Gonna Do". The video on the title track, which was directed by Marcus Raboy, many other rappers made cameos, including Eazy-E, Redman, Kris Kross, Jermaine Dupri, Onyx, Salt-N-Pepa, KRS-One, EPMD, A Tribe Called Quest, De La Soul, MC Lyte, Kid Capri, Das EFX, P.M. Dawn and Naughty by Nature. Onyx also appeared in the video for the song "Ooh, Whatcha Gonna Do". The video was produced by Drew Stone.
Track listing #TitleFeaturingProducer(s)SamplesLength1"Down with the King"Pete Rock & C.L. SmoothPete Rock5:002"Come On Everybody"Q-TipQ-Tip4:303"Can I Get It, Yo"EPMDEPMDMr. Bozack (co-producer)3:304"Hit 'Em Hard"KayGee2:525"To the Maker"Jam Master Jay0:246"3 in the Head"The Bomb Squad3:297"Ooh, Whatcha Gonna Do"The Bomb Squad3:068"Big Willie"Tom MorelloDaniel Shulman and Run-D.M.C.4:289"Three Little Indians"Jam Master Jay, Randy Allen, and Chyskills3:0710"In the House"Pete Rock3:3711"Can I Get a Witness"Jermaine Dupri3:3612"Get Open"OnyxJam Master Jay and Chyskills Lonnie Smith – "Turning Point" (1969)3:5213"What's Next"Mad CobraClifton "Specialist" Dillon4:0314"Wreck Shop"Pete Rock3:1415"For 10 Years"Jam Master Jay Lonnie Smith – "Spinning Wheel" (1970)0:39
Charts Weekly charts
Chart (1993)PeakpositionUK Albums Chart 44Canadian RPM Albums Chart 29
Singles YearSingleChart positions US US R&B US Rap US Dance Sales US R-mic CAN UK1993"Down with the King"219112338069"Ooh, Whatcha Gonna Do"–782131–––"Can I Get It, Yo"–––23–––
Certifications
See also List of Billboard number-one R&B albums of 1993
References
External links Down with the King at Discogs Down with the King at RapGenius Making a Difference: Run-D.M.C. and Guru of Gang Starr in Conversation (October 1993) Treblezine article on "Ooh, Whatcha Gonna Do" NY Times article saying this album got "raving" reviews