Run-DMC enjoys Jamaica for charity
Published:Sunday | August 8, 2010 | 12:00 AM
Garfene Grandison, Gleaner Writer
Run-DMC was a hip-hop group from Hollis, in the Queens borough of New York City. Founded by three of the most influential figures in hip-hop history, Joseph 'Run' Simmons, now known as 'Rev Run', Darryl 'DMC' McDaniels, and Jason 'Jam-Master Jay' Mizell, now deceased, the group is widely acknowledged as one of the most influential acts in the history of hip-hop.
The biggest act in hip-hop throughout the 1980s, Run-DMC is credited with bringing hip-hop into mainstream music. They were the first group in their genre to have a gold record and be nominated for a Grammy. The group was among the first to show how important the MC/DJ relationship was.
In 2004, they were ranked as number 48 on Rolling Stone's list of the greatest musical artistes of all time. Again, in 2007, the trio was named Greatest Hip-Hop Group of All Time by MTV; and in 2009 they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the second hip-hop group to be inducted, after Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Five.
Yesterday, the Lazarus Foundation teamed up with "The Weekend" to produce a concert at the Rose Hall Great House, featuring Maxi Priest and DMC. No stranger to Jamaica (this will be his fourth visit), DMC gave The Sunday Gleaner a little insight into the life of a hip-hop legend.
Currently working on two books to be released next year, one of them a self-help book and the other a children's book; a new album titled Origins of Block Music; collaborations with a number of artistes and a couple of movies, this father and music mogul is still doing it all.
Despite the death of fellow bandmember, Jam-Master Jay, DMC confessed that there is a chance that he and Rev Run could get back together as a group.
"There is a good chance that we could get back together, but it wouldn't be the same group without Jay. It would be disrespectful if we got a different deejay to replace him. We changed the face of the rap game together as a group and that could have only existed with Jay, so it would have to be done in such a way to show no disrespect to him," he said.
The death of Jam-Master Jay, DMC confessed, was not as hard for him as it could have been because "I didn't have to go through it alone".
"The same way the world felt when he died, that is exactly how I felt. Because I had the lovers of hip-hop sharing in my pain and my loss, I had a lot of support," he said.
Aiding students
DMC said he was joining the Lazarus Foundation, a non-profit organisation based in Washington, D.C., whose sole mission is to help disadvantaged students and students in foster care to achieve their dreams through education.
According to DMC, he was "ready to take hip-hop music to the world showing people that hip-hop isn't dead, but just simply hibernating."
In 10 years, DMC sees hip-hop as the biggest classic form of rock and roll music if significant artistes continued to make their contributions to the industry.
Making it known that he can perform with the biggest and 'baddest' names in the business, DMC said his music had evolved.
"It's more musical" he said. "I don't use programmes, I don't use any musical machines. In order to make real music you have to use real musicians. So if I need a drum beat, I go out and get a drummer, and it goes on."
A father to 16-year-old D'Son who aspires to become the greatest African-American hockey player, DMC said music had saved his life. An example, he said, came at what he considered the lowest point in his life, at which time, he said, he was brought back to reality by Sarah McLaughlin who touched him with her song, Angel.
According to him "that song motivated and inspired me" and ended the interview with the words, "music succeeds where religion fails."