You gotta check out Kid Cudi - Day N Nite, Pursuit of Happiness, Mojo so Dope, Don't Play this song....hell really anything off Man on the Moon and Man on the Moon II
I don't know the entire origins of the song. But I think one of the reasons why they did a rock song was that there really wasn't any African American hard rock bands in the 80s. It was kind of the decade where Rock was seen as white people music and hip-hop/rap was always and still is seen strictly as African American music. I think this song's purpose was to set an example that both genres can be for everyone even if its a staple of one's culture. Of course you had those like Prince and Eminem that shook things up. But many african american artists today are automatically assumed to be rap artists. But like you said this song is truly universal