You know that feeling when a song starts and the bass hits so hard your trunk feels like it’s about to fall off? That’s Memphis. Specifically, that’s the sound of Who Run It Three 6 Mafia. It isn't just a track; it's a blueprint.
Back in 1997, the rap world was looking at New York and Los Angeles. Nobody was really checking for Tennessee. Then Chpt. 2: "World Domination" dropped.
DJ Paul and Juicy J were basically mad scientists in the studio. They weren't just making beats; they were crafting nightmares that you could dance to. "Who Run It" is the peak of that era. It’s gritty. It’s aggressive. It’s loud. And honestly, it’s the reason your favorite modern rapper probably uses "A-B" rhyme schemes and heavy 808s today.
The Dark Alchemy of the 1997 Classic
When you listen to the original version of Who Run It Three 6 Mafia gave us, it’s surprisingly simple. That’s the genius of it. It’s built on this hypnotic, swirling loop that sounds like it was recorded in a haunted basement.
The track features the core lineup: DJ Paul, Juicy J, and Lord Infamous (The Scarecrow). If you really listen to Lord Infamous’s verse, you can hear the origins of the "triplet flow." People argue about who started it—Bone Thugs-N-Harmony or Three 6—but in the underground, Memphis was the king of that rapid-fire, dark delivery.
It’s worth noting that the song wasn't just a club hit. It was a statement of territory. At the time, Three 6 Mafia was battling for local supremacy with other Memphis heavyweights like 8Ball & MJG. "Who Run It" was the definitive answer to the question of who owned the city.
Why the Production Style Was "Lo-Fi" Before It Was Cool
A lot of people don't realize that early Three 6 Mafia recordings sounded "fuzzy" or "distorted" because of the gear they used. They weren't in million-dollar studios. They were using 4-track recorders and cheap samplers.
This gave the music a texture that clean, high-fidelity studios couldn't replicate. It felt dangerous. It felt real. In an era where Puffy was making shiny suit music, DJ Paul was making music for the mosh pit.
The G Herbo Effect: A Second Life in 2018
Fast forward over two decades. Most songs from 1997 are relics. But not this one.
💡 You might also like: Songs by Tyler Childers: What Most People Get Wrong
In 2018, Chicago rapper G Herbo went on a radio show and did a freestyle over the Who Run It Three 6 Mafia instrumental. It went viral instantly. Why? Because the beat still sounded fresh. It didn't sound dated; it sounded like the future.
This sparked the "Who Run It Challenge." Suddenly, everyone from 21 Savage to A$AP Rocky to Lil Yachty was jumping on the beat. It was a rare moment where the new school paid total homage to the pioneers without trying to change the formula. It proved that Juicy J and DJ Paul had cracked the code for a timeless rhythm.
The funny thing is, Juicy J actually stepped in and produced the official remix for G Herbo. It wasn't just a tribute; it became a bridge between Memphis and Chicago’s drill scene. The DNA of both cities is remarkably similar—dark, gritty, and deeply rooted in the struggles of the street.
The Memphis Legacy and the Oscar Win
It’s wild to think that the same group that gave us "Who Run It" ended up on the stage at the Academy Awards winning an Oscar for "It’s Hard Out Here for a Pimp."
But that’s the trajectory.
The influence of Three 6 Mafia is everywhere. You hear it in Travis Scott’s production. You hear it in the way $uicideboy$ structure their entire career. You hear it in the "Phonk" genre that dominates TikTok and YouTube today.
Breaking Down the Rhythm
Technically speaking, the song operates at a tempo that allows for both slow-motion swagger and double-time rapping. This versatility is why it works in so many different contexts.
- The hypnotic sample: It creates a sense of tension that never resolves.
- The 808 cowbell: A staple of the Memphis sound that has been sampled thousands of times.
- The chant: "Who run it? Who run it?" It’s a call-and-response that works perfectly for live crowds.
Misconceptions About the Group
People often think Three 6 Mafia was just about "horrorcore" or dark themes. While that was a big part of the early aesthetic—especially with Lord Infamous and Koopsta Knicca—they were also incredibly savvy businessmen.
📖 Related: Questions From Black Card Revoked: The Culture Test That Might Just Get You Roasted
They understood branding before "personal brand" was a buzzword. They had a movie (Choices), they had clothing, and they had a revolving door of talent under the Hypnotize Minds label. "Who Run It" was the anthem for that business empire. It wasn't just a question; it was a fact.
Honestly, if you look at the landscape of rap right now, the "dark" aesthetic is the dominant one. Whether it’s 21 Savage or Metro Boomin, the atmospheric, minor-key production that Three 6 pioneered is the standard.
How to Appreciate Three 6 Mafia Today
If you’re just discovering the group through the G Herbo challenge or a random Spotify playlist, you have to go deeper than the hits.
Start with Mystic Stylez. That’s the raw, unfiltered version of the group. Then move into Chpt. 2: World Domination to see how they polished that sound into a commercial weapon.
"Who Run It" sits right in the middle of that evolution. It’s refined enough to play on the radio but dirty enough to play in a trap house.
The Evolution of the Beat
Interestingly, the beat itself has been re-interpreted so many times that the original "Who Run It" can sometimes feel like a remix of itself. The drum patterns have been mimicked by thousands of producers on FL Studio.
But there’s a specific "swing" to DJ Paul’s programming that is hard to copy. It’s slightly off-kilter. It’s got a human element to it that modern, perfectly quantized beats sometimes lack.
The Cultural Impact of the Phrase
"Who Run It" became more than a song title. It became a slang term. It’s a way of asking who is in charge of a specific scene or area.
👉 See also: The Reality of Sex Movies From Africa: Censorship, Nollywood, and the Digital Underground
When Three 6 Mafia asked the question in 1997, they were looking at the industry and saying, "We’re coming for the crown." By the time they were inducted into the Memphis Music Hall of Fame, the answer was undisputed.
Key Takeaways for Fans and Artists
If you’re an aspiring artist or just a hip-hop head, there are a few things you can learn from the "Who Run It" phenomenon:
- Originality beats polish. The grit of the original recording is what made it a classic, not the studio budget.
- Longevity is about foundation. Because Three 6 built a unique sound, their music stayed relevant for 30 years.
- Collaboration is key. The way the group worked together—different flows, different voices—created a layered experience that a solo artist can’t always replicate.
Moving Forward with the Memphis Sound
To truly understand the weight of Who Run It Three 6 Mafia, you should look into the solo catalogs of the members. DJ Paul’s production on other projects, Juicy J’s late-career resurgence with Wiz Khalifa, and the haunting verses of the late Lord Infamous all provide context.
The next step is to explore the "New Memphis" scene. Artists like GloRilla and Moneybagg Yo are the direct descendants of the path blazed by Three 6. Listen to their track "Who Run It" and then jump immediately into a modern Memphis playlist. You’ll hear the same DNA. The same bass. The same attitude.
If you want to dive deeper into the technical side, look up interviews with DJ Paul where he discusses his use of the MPC and the SP-1200. It’s a masterclass in making "more" with "less." The era of "Who Run It" was a golden age of DIY creativity that paved the way for the entire SoundCloud rap movement and beyond.
Don't just listen to the song; study the energy. That’s how you really understand who runs it.
Actionable Next Steps:
- Listen to the "Chpt. 2: World Domination" album in full to understand the context of the track within Three 6 Mafia's peak transition period.
- Compare the 1997 original with G Herbo’s 2018 freestyle to hear how production trends have shifted while the core rhythm remained identical.
- Explore the Hypnotize Minds discography, specifically looking for projects by Project Pat and Gangsta Boo, to see how the "Who Run It" energy was applied to different voices.
- Research the Memphis "Cowbell" sound if you are a producer, as it is the defining sonic element of this era and essential for modern trap production.