“It’s Like That” is the debut single by Run-D.M.C., released in 1983 and now regarded as a foundational moment in hip-hop history.  With its stripped-down beat, assertive delivery, and socially conscious lyrics — “Unemployment at a record high / People coming, people going, people born to die…” — the song addresses economic struggle, identity and perseverance.  The sound broke from the funk-and-disco-derived rap of the time, introducing a tougher, street-centric style and paving the way for the “new school” of hip-hop.