Checks Thugs and Rock n Roll

Checks Thugs and Rock n Roll is the debut solo studio album by American musician Darryl "D.M.C." McDaniels from hip hop group Run-DMC. It was released on March 14, 2006, through Romen Mpire/Rags 2 Riches Records. He was inspired to put out this album when, at age 35, he found out he was adopted.

Critical reception
AllMusic's David Jeffries felt the record "sounds like the most contrived rock and rap blends that major-label execs declared the future of music back in the mid-'90s, with touches of P.M. Dawn at their most woeful and indulgent", praising tracks like "Lovey Dovey" and "Machine Gun" for allowing DMC and his collaborators to "just hang out and have some fun" but criticized "Watchtower" and "Just Like Me" for its poor sample interpolations and "thin, maudlin lyrics all drowning in excess." He concluded that: "[T]he best thing you can say about this letdown is that DMC's commitment to changing the world and opening eyes is admirable and attractive, but sadly, his skills are blunted and he's not up to the challenge." Steve 'Flash' Juon of RapReviews felt the album paled in comparison to Rev Run's Distortion, criticizing the runtime throughout the track listing, DMC's personality being "replaced by insecurity and self-doubt", and for giving a disappointing performance, concluding that: "Checks Thugs and Rock N Roll is often compelling, but for all the wrong reasons - it's the trainwreck you can't look away from no matter how hard you try. Most listeners will feel their $15 would have been better spent donating to spasmodic dysphonia research that would help others like D rather than listening to a painful album that just makes you yearn for what was and will never ever be again."

Personnel

 * Drums: Joey Kramer, Romeo Antonio, Ashwin Sood
 * Drum Programming: Romeo Antonio
 * Bass: Tom Hamilton, Romeo Antonio
 * Guitars: Romeo Antonio, Elliot Easton, Billy Roues
 * Keyboards: Romeo Antonio
 * Multi-Instruments: Kid Rock, Romeo Antonio
 * DJ: Kid Rock
 * Vocals: Sonny Black, Gary Dourdan, Romeo Antonio, Doug E. Fresh, Kid Rock
 * Programming: Shatek King
 * Orchestration, Conducting: Romeo Antonio
 * Violin: Anna Stafford
 * Executive Producers: Romeo Antonio, DMC, Erik Blam
 * Producers: Romeo Antonio, DMC, Kid Rock, DJ Lethal, Shatek King
 * Engineer: Romeo Antonio, Jam Master Jay
 * Mixing: Romeo Antonio, Jean-Marie Horvat, Paul McKenna, Ron Saint Germain, Ashwin Sood
 * Mastering: Nancy Matter