Checks Thugs and Rock n Roll

{{More citations needed|date=February 2021}}

{{Infobox album

| name = Checks, Thugs and Rock N Roll

| type = studio

| artist = DMC

| cover = DMCChecks.jpg

| alt = The cover features DMC folding his arms together, wearing a white t-shirt and hat, and blue jeans with a belt buckle honoring Jam Master Jay. The artist's logo and album title appear besides him on a cracked concrete wall.

| released = {{Start date|2006|3|14}}

| recorded = 2004–06

| studio =

| genre = {{hlist|Pop rap|rap rock}}

| length = {{Duration|m=57|s=43}}

| label = {{hlist|Romen Mpire Records|Rags 2 Riches Records}}

| producer = {{hlist|DMC|Romeo Antonio|DJ Lethal|Kid Rock|Shatek King|the Platinum Brothers}}

| prev_title =

| prev_year =

| next_title =

| next_year =

| misc = {{Singles

| name = Checks, Thugs and Rock N Roll

| type = studio

| single1 = Lovey Dovey

| single1date = February 14, 2006

}}

}}

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

{{Album ratings

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1score = {{Rating|2|5}}{{cite web|last=Jeffries|first=David|title=Checks Thugs and Rock N Roll - DMC|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/checks-thugs-and-rock-n-roll-mw0000505570|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130323102110/http://www.allmusic.com:80/album/checks-thugs-and-rock-n-roll-mw0000505570|archive-date=March 23, 2013|access-date=February 15, 2021|website=AllMusic}}

| rev2 = RapReviews

| rev2score = 5/10{{cite web|last=Juon|first=Steve 'Flash'|date=March 28, 2006|title=DMC :: Checks Thugs and Rock N Roll :: DMC/Warner|url=https://www.rapreviews.com/archive/2006_03_checksthugs.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060521115747/http://www.rapreviews.com/archive/2006_03_checksthugs.html|archive-date=May 21, 2006|access-date=February 15, 2021|website=RapReviews}}

| rev3 = Vibe

| rev3score = {{Rating|2|5|full=TMT full.svg|half=TMT half.svg|empty=TMT empty.svg|rating=mark}}{{cite magazine|last=Johnson|first=Lynne D|url=http://www.vibe.com/music/revolutions/2006/03/dmc_checks_thugs_and_rock_n_roll/|title=DMC - Checks, Thugs And Rock 'N Roll (RomenMpire)|magazine=Vibe|publisher=Vibe Media Group|date=March 31, 2006|access-date=September 22, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061020140258/http://www.vibe.com/music/revolutions/2006/03/dmc_checks_thugs_and_rock_n_roll/|archive-date=October 20, 2006|url-status=dead}}

}}

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."

Track listing

{{Track listing

| all_writing =

| extra_column = Producer(s)

| title1 = Watchtower

| note1 = featuring Elliot Easton and Romeo Antonio and Josh Todd

| writer1 = Robert Allen Zimmerman

| extra1 =

| length1 = 3:54

| title2 = Freaky Chick

| writer2 = {{hlist|Darryl Matthews McDaniels|Romeo Antonio}}

| extra2 =

| length2 = 3:48

| title3 = Just Like Me

| note3 = featuring Sarah McLachlan

| writer3 = {{hlist|McDaniels|Harry Chapin|Sandra Chapin}}

| extra3 =

| length3 = 4:52

| title4 = Lovey Dovey

| note4 = featuring Doug E. Fresh

| writer4 = {{hlist|McDaniels|Douglas Davis|Lyle|J. Russell|Stanton}}

| extra4 =

| length4 = 4:56

| title5 = Find My Way

| note5 = featuring Kid Rock

| writer5 = {{hlist|McDaniels|Robert James Ritchie}}

| extra5 =

| length5 = 4:58

| title6 = Machine Gun

| note6 = featuring Tal B. and Romeo Antonio and Gary Dourdan

| writer6 = {{hlist|McDaniels|Gary Dourdan|Romeo Antonio}}

| extra6 =

| length6 = 4:52

| title7 = Cold

| note7 = featuring Ms. Jade and Sonny Black

| writer7 = Sheer

| extra7 =

| length7 = 4:12

| title8 = What's Wrong

| note8 = featuring Napolean

| writer8 = {{hlist|McDaniels|Mutah Beale|Leor Dimant}}

| extra8 =

| length8 = 3:45

| title9 = Cadillac Cars

| writer9 = Zimmerman

| extra9 =

| length9 = 4:39

| title10 = Only God Knows

| writer10 = {{hlist|McDaniels|Dimant|John Otto}}

| extra10 =

| length10 = 4:18

| title11 = Come 2Gether

| note11 = featuring Rev Run

| writer11 = McDaniels

| extra11 =

| length11 = 4:14

| title12 = Sucka Sucka

| writer12 = {{hlist|McDaniels|Romeo Antonio|Jason Mizell}}

| extra12 =

| length12 = 4:19

| title13 = Goodbye

| note13 = featuring Lil Mizzo

| writer13 = {{hlist|McDaniels|M. Miller|Beale|Adam Maurice Gibbs|Michael A. Chesser}}

| extra13 =

| length13 = 4:56

| total_length = 57:43

}}

Personnel

Charts

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
scope="col"| Chart (2006)

! scope="col"| Peak
position

{{album chart|BillboardRandBHipHop|87|artist=DMC|rowheader=true|access-date=February 15, 2021}}

References

{{Reflist}}