It's Tricky

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For the racehorse, see It's Tricky (horse).
"It's Tricky"
Penn & Teller wearing Run-DMC costumes performing in a stage.
Single by Run-DMC
from the album Raising Hell
B-side"Proud to Be Black"
ReleasedFebruary 8, 1987
Genre
Length3:03
LabelProfile
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Run-DMC singles chronology
"You Be Illin'"
(1986) 		"It's Tricky"
(1987) 		"Christmas in Hollis"
(1987)
"It's Like That"
(1997)
"(It's) Tricky"
(1998)
"Rock Show"
(2001)
Music video
"It's Tricky" on YouTube

"It's Tricky" is the fourth single released from Run-DMC's third album, Raising Hell. It was released early in 1987 through Profile Records and was co-produced by Rick Rubin and the group themselves. The song peaked at No. 57 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and No. 21 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. In the UK, the song reached No. 16 on the UK Singles Chart.

In 1998, American producer Jason Nevins remixed the song under the amended title "(It's) Tricky". This version peaked at No. 74 in the UK while Nevins' remix of Run-DMC's song "It's Like That" spent its fifth week at No. 1 on the UK Singles Chart.[1] Nevins' remix also achieved top-40 placings in continental Europe, Australia, and New Zealand.[2]

Two decades after the song's release, the Knack sued Run-DMC on the grounds that "It's Tricky" sampled their song "My Sharona" without permission.

Background[edit]

Run-D.M.C's previous studio album King of Rock had established the group's fusion of hip-hop and hard rock (as well as their cover of Walk This Way by Aerosmith), which blossomed on Raising Hell. This was due in part to the presence of Rick Rubin as their record producer. Rubin had an affinity for metal and rap in equal measures and he knew how to play to the strengths of both. At the same time, he slipped in commercial concessions that came off as sly even when they borrowed from familiar songs, such as "My Sharona" on the single "It's Tricky."[3] The song contains samples of "My Sharona" by the Knack, as well as the entire vocal structure from "Mickey" by Toni Basil. The Knack sued Run-DMC over the track in 2006, and the lawsuit was settled out of court.[4][5] One notable element of the song was its anti-drug lyrics such as “We are not thugs, we don’t use drugs.”[6]

Critical reception[edit]

Rolling Stone writer Mark Kemp remarked, "'It's Tricky' cribs the guitar part from the Knack's 'My Sharona,' a fatuous New Wave song, and turns it into vital street art."[7] Pitchfork's Tom Breihan claimed, "Run and DMC had also stepped their rap game up; "It's Tricky" is basically as good as the two of them ever got, spitting quick-tongue witticisms and yelling booming threats with equal abandon."[8] Time writer stated the song serves "to prove their ferocity."[9] Commenting on the crossover appeal, AllMusic's stated, "Rubin loved metal and rap in equal measures and he knew how to play to the strengths of both, while slipping in commercial concessions that seemed sly even when they borrowed from songs as familiar as 'My Sharona.'"[3]

Music video[edit]

The music video features Penn and Teller hustling a group of people with a game of three-card Monte[10] in front of the Rialto Theater in downtown Los Angeles. Run-DMC are called and shut their business down by winning every hand they play. Penn then asks the group if they can teach them to dance, which they do after insisting that Penn and Teller change their clothes. Six months later, Run-DMC show up for their gig in Japan, but are denied entry as Penn and Teller are already on stage impersonating them.

Usage in media[edit]

The song is used in the promotional clip for the FX television series Snowfall, which began airing in July 2017.[11] The original song appeared in the movies Road Trip, Can't Hardly Wait, Turbo, White Chicks, The Bounty Hunter, The Boss Baby: Family Business, Sonic the Hedgehog 2, in the television shows One Tree Hill and King of the Hill, and in the video games WWE 2K16, Forza Horizon 3, and SSX series, SSX Tricky in particular, being named after the song.[12][13] In 2021, the song was sampled by Crazy Frog.[14]

Track listing[edit]

7-inch

  • A. "It's Tricky" – 3:02
  • B. "Proud to Be Black" – 3:14

12-inch

  • A1. "It's Tricky" (Club Mix) – 7:19
  • A2. "Up Tempo" – 2:35
  • B1. "It's Tricky" (Remix) – 4:31
  • B2. "It's Tricky" (Scratchapella) – 3:51
  • B3. "Tricky Reprise" – 2:54
  • B4. "Proud to Be Black" – 3:14

Charts[edit]

Certifications[edit]

Region Certification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[38]
Original version 		Gold 400,000‡
United States (RIAA)[39] 2× Platinum 2,000,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "Run DMC: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 27, 2019.
  2. ^ a b "Run-D.M.C. vs. Jason Nevins – (It's) Tricky". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved May 27, 2019.
  3. ^ a b Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Raising Hell – Run-D.M.C." AllMusic. Retrieved February 8, 2011.
  4. ^ ""My Sharona" Writers Sue Run DMC For Sampling "It's Tricky"". Chartattack.com. September 18, 2006. Archived from the original on August 12, 2012. Retrieved July 15, 2010.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  5. ^ Creative License: The Law and Culture of Digital Sampling
    "I just changed the chorus around and we just talked about how this rap business can be tricky to a brother."
  6. ^ Peltz, Jennifer (January 27, 2024). "A trial in Run-DMC star Jam Master Jay's 2002 killing is starting, and testing his anti-drug image". Associated Press. Retrieved January 29, 2024.
  7. ^ Kemp, Mark (September 5, 2002). "Run-D.M.C.: Raising Hell". Rolling Stone. New York. Archived from the original on November 7, 2004. Retrieved December 2, 2011.
  8. ^ Breihan, Tom (September 22, 2005). "Run-D.M.C.: Run-DMC / King of Rock / Raising Hell / Tougher Than Leather". Pitchfork. Retrieved February 8, 2011.
  9. ^ Light, Alan (2006-11-02). "Raising Hell". Time.com. Archived from the original on February 16, 2007. Retrieved 2011-12-02.
  10. ^ "Penn & Teller hit 21 at the Rio, and so do we". 20 January 2022.
  11. ^ Jeng, Jonah (May 11, 2017). "FX Crack Cocaine Drama Snowfall Receives Two Exuberant New Promos". Paste. Retrieved June 21, 2017.
  12. ^ Bennett, Rebecca Jane; Jones, Angela Cresswell (2015). The Digital Evolution of Live Music. Cambridge: Chandos Publishing. p. 104. ISBN 978-0-0810-0070-0. Retrieved April 24, 2022 – via Google Books.
  13. ^ Eustice, Kyle (November 30, 2020). "How A 33-Year-Old Hip Hop Classic Became The TikTok Generation's 2020 Holiday Soundtrack". HipHopDX. Retrieved April 24, 2022.
  14. ^ Langford, Jackson (10 December 2021). "Crazy Frog makes its return with Run-DMC mashup 'Tricky'". NME. Retrieved 14 December 2021.
  15. ^ "European Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 4, no. 24. June 20, 1987. p. 15. Retrieved May 11, 2021.
  16. ^ "Run DMC: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 27, 2019.
  17. ^ "Run DMC Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved May 27, 2019.
  18. ^ "Run DMC Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved May 27, 2019.
  19. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Run DMC – It's Tricky" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved May 27, 2019.
  20. ^ "Run-D.M.C. vs. Jason Nevins – (It's) Tricky" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved May 27, 2019.
  21. ^ "Run-D.M.C. vs. Jason Nevins – (It's) Tricky" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved May 27, 2019.
  22. ^ "Run-D.M.C. vs. Jason Nevins – (It's) Tricky" (in French). Ultratop 50. Retrieved May 27, 2019.
  23. ^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 15, no. 18. May 2, 1998. p. 11. Retrieved May 11, 2021.
  24. ^ "Run-D.M.C. vs. Jason Nevins: (It's) Tricky" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat. Retrieved May 27, 2019.
  25. ^ "Run-D.M.C. vs. Jason Nevins – (It's) Tricky" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved May 27, 2019.
  26. ^ "Run-D.M.C. vs. Jason Nevins – (It's) Tricky" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved May 27, 2019.
  27. ^ "Top National Sellers" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 15, no. 18. May 2, 1998. p. 13. Retrieved May 11, 2021.
  28. ^ "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (14.5. – 21.5. 1998)". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). May 15, 1998. p. 22. Retrieved May 11, 2021.
  29. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 17, 1998" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved May 24, 2020.
  30. ^ "Run-D.M.C. vs. Jason Nevins – (It's) Tricky" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved May 27, 2019.
  31. ^ "Run-D.M.C. vs. Jason Nevins – (It's) Tricky". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved May 27, 2019.
  32. ^ "Run-D.M.C. vs. Jason Nevins – (It's) Tricky". VG-lista. Retrieved May 27, 2019.
  33. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 11, 2021.
  34. ^ "Run-D.M.C. vs. Jason Nevins – (It's) Tricky". Singles Top 100. Retrieved May 27, 2019.
  35. ^ "Run-D.M.C. vs. Jason Nevins – (It's) Tricky". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved May 27, 2019.
  36. ^ "Official Dance Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 11, 2021.
  37. ^ "ARIA Top 100 Singles for 1998". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved May 24, 2020.
  38. ^ "British single certifications – Run DMC – It's Tricky". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved June 24, 2022.
  39. ^ "American single certifications – Run-D.M.C. – It's Tricky". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved May 10, 2023.

External links[edit]

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