"What's It All About" is the second single from

Run-D.M.C. Run-DMC (also spelled Run-D.M.C.) was an American hip hop group from Hollis, Queens, New York City, founded in 1983 by Joseph Simmons, Darryl McDaniels, and Jason Mizell. Run-DMC is regarded as one of the most influential acts in the history of ...

's fifth studio album, ''

Back from Hell ''Back from Hell'' is the fifth studio album by American hip hop group Run-D.M.C., released on October 16, 1990, by Profile Records. The album was produced by the group members themselves. The album is notable for adopting more of a street atti ...

''. It was released on September 14, 1990, through

Profile Records Profile Records was one of the earliest hip hop labels. As well as hip-hop they released disco, dance, and electro records. History In 1980, Cory Robbins, who was 23 at the time and had worked briefly for MCA, wanted to start a record label. ...

and was produced by the three members of the group. The song would prove to be the most successful single from the critically panned album, peaking at number 24 on the ''Billboard''

Hot R&B Singles The Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart ranks the most popular R&B and hip hop songs in the United States and is published weekly by ''Billboard''. Rankings are based on a measure of radio airplay, sales data, and streaming activity. The chart had 100 p ...

chart and number four on the

Hot Rap Singles Hot Rap Songs (formerly known as Hot Rap Tracks and Hot Rap Singles) is a chart released weekly by '' Billboard'' in the United States. It lists the 25 most popular hip-hop/rap songs, calculated weekly by airplay on rhythmic and urban radio stat ...

chart. "What It's All About" uses a sample from

the Stone Roses The Stone Roses were an English Rock music, rock band formed in Manchester in 1983. One of the pioneering groups of the Madchester movement in the late 1980s and early 1990s, the band's classic and most prominent lineup consisted of vocalist I ...

' "

Fool's Gold The mineral pyrite (), or iron pyrite, also known as fool's gold, is an iron sulfide with the chemical formula Fe S2 (iron (II) disulfide). Pyrite is the most abundant sulfide mineral. Pyrite's metallic luster and pale brass-yellow hue giv ...

" as a basis for the track.

Track listing

A-side

#"What's It All About" – 4:48 #"Sucker D.J.'s" – 0:50 #"The Ave." – 4:00 #"The Ave." (radio version) – 3:55

B-side

#"What's It All About" (instrumental) – 5:46 #"The Ave." (instrumental) – 4:44 1990 singles 1990 songs Run-DMC songs Songs written by Darryl McDaniels Songs written by Joseph Simmons Songs written by Jam Master Jay Profile Records singles {{1990s-hiphop-song-stub