Run Dmc Jason Nevins Its Like That Raxon E [top] ⟶

Essay: “It’s Like That” — Run‑D.M.C., Jason Nevins, and the Remix That Bridged Eras

“It’s Like That” began as a stripped‑down manifesto of hip‑hop’s late‑1980s street realism and ended up, nearly a decade later, as a global dance‑floor phenomenon that reintroduced Run‑D.M.C. to a new generation. The song’s journey — from the group’s 1983/1984 era to Jason Nevins’s 1997 remix and its reverberations through club culture, radio programming, and cross‑genre collaboration — illustrates how remixes can reframe meaning, revive careers, and accelerate pop culture exchanges across time, geography, and musical taste.

Origins and original meaning Run‑D.M.C., formed in Queens in the early 1980s, were crucial to hip‑hop’s evolution from block‑party novelty to mainstream force. “It’s Like That” (originally released in 1983 as a single and later included on early releases) embodies that transformation: a spare beat, clipped drum machine hits, and direct, declarative verses about economic hardship, social struggle, and the toughness of street life. The lyricism is terse and pointed — less poetic flourish than social report — and the production’s minimalism places emphasis on rhythm and vocal delivery, a hallmark of early rap’s communicative urgency.

The song’s rhetorical core — repeated assertions like “It’s like that, and that’s the way it is” — functions as both statement and refrain, an acceptance of harsh realities but also a communal affirmation. In the context of 1980s New York, the track resonated as a factual snapshot: high unemployment, urban decline, and the crystallization of hip‑hop as the voice of marginalized youth. Its aesthetic matched its content: unadorned, percussive, and confrontational.

Jason Nevins’s remix: technique and cultural reframing In 1997 Jason Nevins — an American producer working in electronic and dance music — remixed “It’s Like That,” grafting modern club production onto Run‑D.M.C.’s original vocal track. Nevins introduced a four‑on‑the‑floor house beat, driving techno‑informed synth lines, recontextualized bass, and extended dance‑floor arrangements that emphasized groove and momentum rather than the original’s stark reportage.

Technically, the remix does several important things:

  • Tempo and rhythm: It raises the track’s BPM and layers steady house/techno percussion to make the song fit nightclub kinetic expectations.
  • Harmonic and textural additions: Synth stabs, pads, and sampled hooks create a fuller, more euphoric sonic environment.
  • Structural changes: Extended intros, breakdowns, and build‑ups align the track to DJ mixing practice, giving it utility in clubs and radio mixes.

Culturally, the Nevins remix reframed the song’s affect. The grim resignation of the original becomes energizing defiance on the dance floor. The words remain unchanged, but their impact shifts: chanted refrains become sing‑alongs; statements of social reality morph into rallying cries for collective release. The remix thus demonstrates how production choices alter meaning without changing text, showing the power of context and sonic framing.

Commercial impact and significance Nevins’s remix became an international hit: it topped charts across Europe and reached high positions in multiple national singles charts. Its commercial success is significant for several reasons:

  • Reintroduction of Run‑D.M.C.: The group, whose mainstream visibility had waned, found renewed attention and royalties, proving that remix culture can revive legacy acts.
  • Cross‑genre acceptance: The single helped mainstream audiences accept hip‑hop voices within dance music contexts, expanding listeners who might not have engaged with the genre otherwise.
  • Template for legacy remixes: The track became a template for how older recordings could be repurposed into contemporary club hits, influencing late‑90s and 2000s remix culture.

Critiques and complexities The remix’s success also generated debate. Purists argued that Nevins’s approach sanitized or appropriated the song’s original political edge by repackaging it for entertainment and mass consumption. Others defended the remix as an interpretive act that broadened the song’s reach and allowed its core message to resonate in new public spheres. Both critiques reveal tensions inherent in remix culture: who controls a song’s meaning, and how does commodification interact with art that originally emerged from marginality?

Legacy and continuing relevance “It’s Like That (Jason Nevins Remix)” stands as a landmark of 1990s remix culture. It exemplifies how production can transform reception, how global club networks can resurrect older works, and how the boundaries between hip‑hop and electronic dance music became increasingly porous. The remix also prefigured later trends: electronic producers collaborating with hip‑hop and pop artists, and legacy acts using contemporary production to access younger audiences.

Moreover, the remix invites reflection on the durability of Run‑D.M.C.’s message. Even when placed over euphoric beats, the lyrics’ insistence on hard realities remains audible — a reminder that popular music can shift tone while still carrying historical and social memory.

Conclusion The trajectory from Run‑D.M.C.’s spare 1980s original to Jason Nevins’s chart‑topping 1997 remix shows how musical meaning is malleable. The Nevins version repurposed a statement about social conditions into a unifying, kinetic experience for global dance floors, reviving the artists’ profile while raising questions about interpretation and commodification. Ultimately, the enduring appeal of both versions testifies to the strength of the original songwriting and to remixing’s capacity to forge new cultural life from established works.

The track you're looking for is the Raxon Edit of the legendary 1997 remix "It's Like That" Run-DMC vs. Jason Nevins While the original Jason Nevins remix run dmc jason nevins its like that raxon e

was a global house hit in the late '90s, Raxon’s version is a modern, hypnotic techno reinterpretation that has gained massive traction in the underground club scene. Key Details about the Raxon Edit: It is largely known as an unreleased "white label" or "ID"

track, though it has been widely shared and streamed on platforms like SoundCloud High-Profile Support: The edit has been a staple in sets by major techno figures. Sven Väth famously played it during his Time Warp Germany set in April 2024. Live Performances:

Raxon himself has showcased the edit during live performances, including a notable b2b set with Maceo Plex Futur Festival

It retains the iconic vocal hooks and synth stabs of the Nevins version but layers them over a driving, modern techno groove. Further Exploration Watch a live clip of the track being played at Time Warp on

Check out the track's reception and modern techno context in this article on Techno Remixes of Popular Classics Listen to the full unreleased version on SoundCloud or a specific where this track was played?

The Raxon Edit of "It’s Like That" by Run-D.M.C. vs. Jason Nevins

is a modern techno reimagining of the massive 1997 house remix. While the original Nevins version bridged hip-hop and dance music to become a global chart-topper, the Raxon Edit adds a deeper, hypnotic techno layer designed specifically for modern club dancefloors. The Raxon Edit

This version is an unreleased "edit" that gained significant traction in the underground electronic scene starting around 2023.

Style: It transforms the energetic, breakbeat-heavy Nevins remix into a hypnotic techno track with a steady, driving rhythm.

Artist: Raxon, an established name in the techno scene, created this edit to give the 90s classic a fresh life in his sets, famously playing it during B2B performances with artists like Maceo Plex.

Availability: Because it is an unofficial edit, it is primarily found on platforms like SoundCloud and through unofficial uploads on YouTube. Background: The 1997 Original Remix Essay: “It’s Like That” — Run‑D

Raxon's edit is based on the legendary 1997 remix by American DJ and producer Jason Nevins, which:

3. The "Raxon" Connection

Raxon is an Egyptian DJ and producer based in Barcelona, known for his releases on labels like Diynamic Music and Afterlife. He represents the modern, melodic, and driving techno/house sound.

If you are looking for the Raxon version of this track, you are likely looking for one of two things:

Conclusion: Why You Are Searching This

If you typed "run dmc jason nevins its like that raxon e" into Google, you already know the track. You are likely a DJ trying to find that specific version you heard at a warehouse party in 2005, or a nostalgia hunter trying to rebuild a lost iPod playlist.

Here is the truth: The official Jason Nevins remix is the masterpiece. The "Raxon E" variant is the ghost—an error in the machine that gives the song a second life in the shadows of the internet.

Whatever version you find, turn the bass up. Let the kick drum hit. And remember a moment when Run’s 1983 prophecy met Jason Nevins’ 1998 big beat fury, creating a track so powerful, a phantom producer named "Raxon E" tried to claim it as their own.

Final Verdict: Find the Jason Nevins Extended Mix. It's cleaner, harder, and the only version sanctioned by the gods of hip-hop. But if you stumble upon a dusty MP3 labeled "Raxon E"... keep it. That's history too.

Keywords integrated: Run DMC, Jason Nevins, Its Like That, Raxon E, remix, 1998, big beat, breakbeat, hip-hop house, bootleg.

The legendary 1983 debut single "It's Like That" by Run-D.M.C.

received a transformative second life through the 1997 remix by house DJ Jason Nevins

, and has more recently been reimagined for modern dance floors by techno artist The Evolution of a Classic Tempo and rhythm: It raises the track’s BPM

The original track was a landmark of "new-school" hip-hop, featuring hard-hitting social commentary on unemployment and survival. It has since evolved through several distinct eras: 1983 (The Original):

Released as Run-D.M.C.'s debut, it introduced a minimalist, street-oriented sound that changed the trajectory of hip-hop. 1997/1998 (The Jason Nevins Remix):

This version fused the original vocals with a "crunching, unflinching house beat". It became a massive global hit, selling approximately five million copies and topping the UK singles chart for six weeks. The official video for this version famously featured a high-energy breakdancing battle 2023/2024 (The Raxon Edit): Emerging techno talent

released a modern edit that infuses the classic vocals with hypnotic, darker techno beats. This version has been categorized as Hard Techno

with a high BPM of 155, making it a staple for current underground club sets. Where to Listen

You can find various iterations of these tracks on platforms like: Run DMC vs. Jason Nevins - It's Like That (Raxon Edit)

Standout Moment

Around the 2-minute mark, where the Nevins original would drop into a smooth filtered riser, the Raxon E version throws in a distorted, lo-fi synth stab and a bar of silence before the beat crashes back. It’s jarring at first, but effective live.

4. “Raxon” – Most likely real answer

If you saw “Raxon” on a tracklist or YouTube title, it may refer to Raxon (Egyptian-born, Barcelona-based DJ/producer).

  • He has a techno/house track called It’s Like That (2016 on Ellum Audio).
  • No connection to Run–D.M.C. or Jason Nevins – different song, same title.

The Commercial Earthquake: Smash Hits Worldwide

The remix was initially a club white label (an unmarked vinyl record). But word spread fast. In 1998, the track was officially released under the title It's Like That (Jason Nevins Remix). The results were astronomical:

  • UK Singles Chart: Peaked at #1 for six consecutive weeks.
  • Germany & Switzerland: Sat at #1 for ten weeks.
  • Billboard Hot 100 (USA): Reached #53 (respectable for a remix of a 15-year-old rap song).
  • Legacy: It became the penultimate Top 40 hit for Run DMC before the tragic death of Jam Master Jay in 2002.

For a generation of European kids, this was their first introduction to hip-hop. It bridged the gap between The Chemical Brothers’ Block Rockin’ Beats and The Beastie Boys’ Intergalactic.