Run Dmc- Jason Nevins - It-s Like That -raxon E... -
The track "It's Like That" represents two pivotal moments in music history: the birth of hardcore hip-hop in 1983 and its massive global resurgence through a dance remix in 1997. The Original Foundation (1983)
Originally released as Run-D.M.C.’s debut single, "It's Like That" was a groundbreaking social protest track. Produced by Russell Simmons and Larry Smith, it stripped away the light, funky disco sounds popular in early rap, replacing them with sparse, aggressive beats and gritty lyrics about unemployment and inflation. It became the first "hardcore" rap song and helped the group's debut album become the first rap record certified Gold by the RIAA. The Jason Nevins Global Sensation (1997)
In 1997, house DJ Jason Nevins remixed the track, infusing the old-school rap verses with an energetic electronic dance beat.
Run-D.M.C. vs. Jason Nevins: It's Like That (Music Video 1998)
Here’s a breakdown of the key elements and how they might connect: RUN DMC- Jason Nevins - It-s Like That -Raxon E...
6. Mix & Mastering Notes
- Balance: are vocals sitting above the mix or blended as another element?
- Clarity: are mid/high frequencies clear? Any masking issues?
- Loudness: estimate perceived loudness (masters for club vs. home listening).
- Dynamics: is compression heavy (squashed) or dynamic?
Part 1: The Genesis – RUN DMC’s "It's Like That" (1983)
To understand the remix, we must first bow to the original. Released in 1983 on Profile Records, It's Like That was a minimalist revolution. Produced by Russell Simmons and Larry Smith, the track featured Joseph "Run" Simmons and Darryl "D.M.C." McDaniels trading stark, nihilistic bars over a sparse beatbox and a menacing, descending three-note bassline.
Key themes of the original:
- Socio-economic struggle ("Unemployment at a record high")
- Moral decay ("People, people, just a-settin' 'round")
- Resilience ("And it's like that, and that's the way it is")
It was not a party track. It was a mission statement. When RUN DMC performed it, they wore black leather and unlaced Adidas—ghetto armor. The track peaked at #15 on the Billboard Hot Black Singles chart but laid the foundation for the group's legendary 1984 album, Run-D.M.C..
But few could have predicted that 14 years later, a white house DJ would turn this sermon into the biggest dance record of 1998. The track "It's Like That" represents two pivotal
A Blueprint for Remix Culture
The journey from Run-DMC → Jason Nevins → Raxon represents a perfect case study in remix evolution:
- Original – cultural artifact, genre-defining
- First remix – era-defining, commercial breakthrough
- Modern reinterpretation – niche dancefloor weapon, respects legacy while innovating
Each version speaks to its time: the raw 80s, the peak big beat 90s, and the deep, hypnotic 2020s.
Part 6: Legacy and Influence
The Jason Nevins remix alone has been streamed hundreds of millions of times across platforms and appears in films, video games (including Dance Dance Revolution and Grand Theft Auto), and commercials. It remains a staple of DJ sets when they want a guaranteed reaction.
Raxon’s approach, while less commercially massive, represents the enduring fascination producers have with the track’s DNA. It’s been played at festivals like Time Warp, ADE, and Fusion Festival, often dropped as a secret weapon in tech-house sets. Balance: are vocals sitting above the mix or
In interviews, Raxon has noted:
“I heard the Run-DMC original as a kid, then the Jason Nevins remix in clubs. When I made my version, I wanted the groove to feel endless — like the message keeps going and going.”
The Identity
Raxon (real name likely Raxon E. Mercado or simply a mononym) is a techno DJ/producer from the Dominican Republic, currently signed to labels like Drumcode (Adam Beyer’s label) and Terminal M (Monika Kruse’s label). He is known for driving, hypnotic techno with Latin percussion underpinnings.
His typical sound:
- Hard, kicking drums (130-135 BPM)
- Dubby, delayed stabs
- Minimal vocal loops
- Peak-time, warehouse-oriented productions