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Darryl Matthews McDaniels (born May 31, 1964), better known by his stage name DMC, is an American rapper. He is a founding member of the hip hop group Run-DMC, and is considered one of the pioneers of hip hop culture.


Early life

McDaniels grew up in Hollis, Queens. He was born to an unwed mother who surrendered him to the
New York Foundling The New York Foundling, founded in 1869 by the Roman Catholic Sisters of Charity, is one of New York City's oldest and largest child welfare agencies. The Foundling operates programs in the five boroughs of New York City, Rockland County, a ...
home. He was a ward of the Foundling, in foster care, until placed with the McDaniels and eventually adopted by them. They raised him as a
Catholic The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
. He attended Rice High School in Manhattan and later enrolled in St. John's University in Queens. McDaniels first became interested in hip hop music after listening to recordings of
Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five were an American hip hop group formed in the South Bronx of New York City in 1978. The group's members were Grandmaster Flash, Melle Mel, Kidd Creole (not to be confused with Kid Creole), Keef Cowboy, ...
. In 1978, McDaniels taught himself to DJ in the basement of his parents' home, using
turntable A phonograph, in its later forms also called a gramophone (as a trademark since 1887, as a generic name in the UK since 1910) or since the 1940s called a record player, or more recently a turntable, is a device for the mechanical and analogu ...
s and a
mixer Mixer may refer to: Electronics * DJ mixer, a type of audio mixing console used by disc jockeys * Electronic mixer, electrical circuit for adding signal voltages * Frequency mixer, electrical circuit that creates new frequencies from two signals ...
that he bought with his older brother, Alford, after having a comic book sale in their neighborhood. During this period he adopted the stage name "Grandmaster Get High".


Career

Later that year, McDaniels sold his DJ equipment, after his friend Joseph "Run" Simmons acquired his own turntables and mixer. After
Jam-Master Jay Jason William Mizell (January 21, 1965 – October 30, 2002), better known by his stage name Jam Master Jay, was an American musician and DJ. He was the DJ of the influential hip hop group Run-DMC. During the 1980s, Run-DMC became one of the big ...
– who had a reputation as the best young DJ in Hollis – joined the group, Run encouraged McDaniels to rap rather than DJ. Gradually, McDaniels came to prefer rapping to mixing records, and adopted the nickname of "Easy D". In 1981, he dropped the "Easy D" moniker in favor of "DMcD", the way he signed his work in school, and then to the shorter "D.M.C.". This new nickname alternately stood for "Devastating Mic Control" or "Darryl Mac", his nickname since childhood as referenced in the lyrics of the song "King of Rock". In 1984, the trio released their
self-titled An eponym is a person, a place, or a thing after whom or which someone or something is, or is believed to be, named. The adjectives which are derived from the word eponym include ''eponymous'' and ''eponymic''. Usage of the word The term ''epon ...
debut album and became very successful in the hip-hop industry. The group's success continued to grow and reached its peak with their third album '' Raising Hell''. The album went to No. 6 on the ''Billboard'' 200 and No. 1 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, making Run-D.M.C. the most popular hip-hop group at the time. During this time, McDaniels began to build a reputation as a heavy drinker. He was known to drink up to eight 40-ounce bottles of malt liquor a day and was arrested twice for public intoxication and driving while intoxicated. In 1987 Run-D.M.C. wrote "
Christmas in Hollis "Christmas in Hollis" is a single by Run-DMC that was included on two 1987 Christmas compilation albums featuring various artists: '' A Very Special Christmas'' (A&M 3911) and ''Christmas Rap'' (Profile 1247). When Bill Adler first asked Run-DMC t ...
" for ''A Very Special Christmas''. The music video for "Christmas in Hollis" was shot in Hollis, Queens. Run-D.M.C. filmed the video during their 1987 tour. DMC's mother made a guest appearance in the video. In 1997, McDaniels began to develop a deep depression. He became extremely unhappy with the rigorous routine of touring and performing, and with being away from his wife and newborn son. He began to rely heavily on
prescription drug A prescription drug (also prescription medication or prescription medicine) is a pharmaceutical drug that legally requires a medical prescription to be dispensed. In contrast, over-the-counter drugs can be obtained without a prescription. The re ...
s and alcohol to ease the pain. While on tour, McDaniels noticed his voice was giving out. He was later diagnosed with spasmodic dysphonia, a vocal disorder which causes involuntary spasms of the larynx muscles. He believes it was caused by the aggressive way in which he performs his lyrics compounded with the years of heavy drinking.''DMC: My Adoption Journey''. VH1. February 25, 2006 Meanwhile, McDaniels began to have creative differences with his bandmates in Run-D.M.C., which by then, was well past its prime as a commercially successful hip-hop group. A longtime fan of artists such as The Beatles,
Bob Dylan Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan, born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Often regarded as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture during a career sp ...
, and Harry Chapin, McDaniels wanted to move towards a slower, softer sound which suited his now troubled voice. Run wanted to continue with the aggressive, hard rock-edged, sound that the group was known for. These disagreements caused McDaniels to sit out most of the recording of ''
Crown Royal Crown Royal, also known as Seagram's Crown Royal, is a blended Canadian whisky brand created by Seagram and owned by Diageo since 2000. Production of Crown Royal is done at Gimli, Manitoba, while the blending and bottling of the whisky are done ...
'' (2001). He appeared on only three songs. Feeling depressed and suicidal, McDaniels heard fellow adoptee Sarah McLachlan's song "
Angel In various theistic religious traditions an angel is a supernatural spiritual being who serves God. Abrahamic religions often depict angels as benevolent celestial intermediaries between God (or Heaven) and humanity. Other roles include ...
" (1997) on the radio. The song touched McDaniels so deeply that it inspired him to reassess his life and career. He credits McLachlan and her album '' Surfacing'' (on which "Angel" appeared) with saving his life. With a new outlook on life, McDaniels decided to write his autobiography. While researching his early years, his mother, Bannah, revealed a shocking secret: Darryl had been placed for adoption when he was three months old. According to Bannah, his birth mother was a woman of Dominican descent named Bernada Lovelace. He also learned that he was born in
Harlem, Manhattan Harlem is a neighborhood in Upper Manhattan, New York City. It is bounded roughly by the Hudson River on the west; the Harlem River and 155th Street on the north; Fifth Avenue on the east; and Central Park North on the south. The greater Harle ...
, not Hollis, Queens, as he had always believed. Even as a child, McDaniels knew he did not look like the rest of his family, and with the revelation, he finally understood why. The news inspired him to search for his birth mother. He began working with the VH1 network on a documentary chronicling his quest. His autobiography, ''King of Rock: Respect, Responsibility, and My Life with Run-DMC'', was released in January 2001. In February 2006, VH1 premiered the documentary titled ''DMC: My Adoption Journey''. The program ends with McDaniels reuniting with his birth mother, who turned out to be named Berncenia and despite previous beliefs, was not, in fact, of Dominican descent. He thanks her for her choice because had he not been placed for adoption, Run-D.M.C. would have never existed. In March 2006, McDaniels released his solo album, ''
Checks Thugs and Rock N Roll ''Checks Thugs and Rock n Roll'' is the debut solo studio album by American musician Darryl "D.M.C." McDaniels from hip hop group Run-DMC. It was released on March 14, 2006, through Romen Mpire/Rags 2 Riches Records. He was inspired to put out th ...
''. Produced and Music Directed by
Romeo Antonio Ray Romeo Antonio is an American filmmaker, musician, and author. Career Early career Romeo Antonio's early music career started in Sydney, Australia. His debut album, ''The Real Romeo'', was released in 1992 on A&M Records, with Antonio pl ...
. The first single, "Just Like Me", features an interpolation of Harry Chapin's "
Cat's in the Cradle "Cat's in the Cradle" is a 1974 folk rock song by Harry Chapin from the album '' Verities & Balderdash''. The single topped the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100 in December 1974. As Chapin's only number-one song, it became the best known of his work a ...
" (1974) performed by McDaniels' musical savior, Sarah McLachlan. During a recording session, McLachlan revealed to McDaniels that she, too, had been adopted. McDaniels also collaborated with Adoptee Zara Philips on "I'm Legit." He testified before the New Jersey State Legislature in support of legislation to restore adopted adults' access to their original birth certificates. The legislation McDaniels supported was signed by Governor Chris Christie and became effective on January 1, 2017. As a New York born adoptee, however, McDaniels did not have access to his own original birth record---he hired a private investigator to help find his birth family in New York. McDaniels had written the first draft of his autobiography before learning he was adopted and was working on a second solo album, working titled ''The Next Level''. Three tracks off the new album have been released ("Next Level", "Hip Hop", and "Beef Eater") and can be heard on his Myspace page. In June 2007, McDaniels joined
Aerosmith Aerosmith is an American rock band formed in Boston in 1970. The group consists of Steven Tyler (lead vocals), Joe Perry (guitar), Tom Hamilton (bass), Joey Kramer (drums) and Brad Whitford (guitar). Their style, which is rooted in blues-ba ...
on stage at the Hard Rock Calling festival in London, England to perform "Walk This Way". McDaniels is featured in the video game '' Guitar Hero: Aerosmith'' (2008) singing Run-D.M.C.'s singles " King of Rock" and "
Walk This Way "Walk This Way" is a song by the American rock band Aerosmith. Written by Steven Tyler and Joe Perry, the song was originally released as the second single from the album '' Toys in the Attic'' (1975). It peaked at number 10 on the ''Billboa ...
". He is also an unlockable guitarist in the game. In the game's trailer, it is revealed that McDaniels' son plays Guitar Hero for hours each day. In 2009, McDaniels performed in '' The People Speak'', a documentary feature film that uses dramatic and musical performances of the letters, diaries, and speeches of everyday Americans, based on historian Howard Zinn's nonfiction book ''
A People's History of the United States '' A People's History of the United States'' is a 1980 nonfiction book by American historian and political scientist Howard Zinn. In the book, Zinn presented what he considered to be a different side of history from the more traditional "fund ...
'' (1980). McDaniels' second solo album, the more rock oriented ''The Origins Of Block Music'', was due out in mid-2010 but was delayed. In December 2010, McDaniels appeared with Talib Kweli, Mix Master Mike, and
Ahmet Zappa Ahmet Emuukha Rodan Zappa (born May 15, 1974) is an American musician and writer, and trustee of the Zappa Family Trust. Early life Ahmet Zappa was born in Los Angeles, California, the third of four children born to musician Frank Zappa and bu ...
on a cover of
Frank Zappa Frank Vincent Zappa (December 21, 1940 – December 4, 1993) was an American musician, composer, and bandleader. His work is characterized by nonconformity, free-form improvisation, sound experiments, musical virtuosity and satire of ...
's " Willie the Pimp" for ''
The Frank Zappa AAAFNRAAAA Birthday Bundle 2010 ''The Frank Zappa AAAFNRAAAA Birthday Bundle 2010'' is a compilation album A compilation album comprises tracks, which may be previously released or unreleased, usually from several separate recordings by either one or several performers. ...
''. In 2011, McDaniels joined forces with producer Wade Martin to open the record label IME Records. In 2014, McDaniels ventured into the comics industry with his own publishing imprint, Darryl Makes Comics. McDaniels explains his lifelong love of the medium thus: Darryl Makes Comics' first book is ''DMC'', a 90-page anthology
graphic novel A graphic novel is a long-form, fictional work of sequential art. The term ''graphic novel'' is often applied broadly, including fiction, non-fiction, and anthologized work, though this practice is highly contested by comic scholars and industry ...
set in 1985 that features McDaniels as a superhero who confronts both criminals and other superheroes whose recklessness threatens innocent lives. The comic's version of DMC wears McDaniels' signature
Adidas Adidas AG (; stylized as adidas since 1949) is a German multinational corporation, founded and headquartered in Herzogenaurach, Bavaria, that designs and manufactures shoes, clothing and accessories. It is the largest sportswear manufactur ...
sneakers, fedora and rope chain, along with an elongated turtleneck that masks his face. The book is written by McDaniels and
Damion Scott Damion Scott (born 1976) is a comic book artist and writer, known for his work on books such as ''Batman'', '' Robin'', and ''Batgirl'', ''Web of Spider-Man'', and '' Duppy''. He splits his time between New York and Tokyo, where he founded an ar ...
, and edited by Darryl Makes Comics' Editor-in-Chief,
Edgardo Miranda-Rodriguez Edgardo Miranda-Rodriguez (born June 21, 1970) is a writer at Marvel Entertainment, Editor-in-Chief at Darryl Makes Comics LLC, Art Director/Owner at Somos Arte and Studio Edgardo creative services, and creator of '' La Borinqueña'', an original ...
and Senior Editor Rigo "Riggs" Morales. Each chapter in the anthology is illustrated by a different artist, because, as McDaniels explained, " If DMC was really running around and bumped into four different people, they'd have four different descriptions of what he was like. We wanted each artist's work to relate to each character's view of DMC. If you saw him, you might say, "He came out of a spaceship and had all these things flying around him!" But then another dude is like, "No! He had a sword and shield!" We thought, if so many people saw something different in DMC, we'd have to have different artwork to represent their opinions on him or their interpretation on him." In addition, graffiti writers such as MARE 139 were hired to give the shots of 1985 New York City graffiti a sense of authenticity. The book features an introduction by Greg Pak, a cover by Sal Buscema and
Bob Wiacek Bob Wiacek (born January 7, 1953) is an American comic book artist and writer, working primarily as an inker. Wiacek has inked over such pencilers as Carmine Infantino on '' Star Wars'', Paul Smith and John Romita Jr. on ''The Uncanny X-Men'', ...
and interior pinups by
Carlos Pacheco Carlos Pacheco Perujo (14 November 1961 – 9 November 2022) was a Spanish comics penciller. After breaking into the European market doing cover work for Planeta De Agostini, he gained recognition doing work for Marvel UK, the England-based br ...
,
Chris Burnham Chris Burnham is a comic book artist known for his work on ''Batman Incorporated'' with Grant Morrison, as well as the creator-owned books such as Officer Downe and ''Nixon's Pals'', which were published by Image Comics. Early life Born in Connec ...
,
ChrisCross Christopher Williams, who goes by ChrisCross, is a comic book illustrator, known mostly for his stints pencilling Milestone Comics' '' Blood Syndicate'' and ''Heroes'', Marvel Comics' '' Captain Marvel'' and '' Slingers'' and DC Comics' ''Firest ...
, Dexter Vines, and Shelby Robertson, some of which are homages to iconic comics covers that influenced the creative staff as children. ''DMC'' debuted at the New York Comic Con October 9–12, and was subsequently released in comics shops October 29. The book received a four out of five stars rating by Tony Guerrero of Comic Vine, who lauded the charm and authenticity of the art. As of January 2015, McDaniels was working with the band
Generation Kill ''Generation Kill'' is a 2004 book written by ''Rolling Stone'' journalist Evan Wright chronicling his experience as an embedded reporter with the 1st Reconnaissance Battalion of the United States Marine Corps, during the 2003 invasion of Ira ...
on a project entitled ''DMC Generation Kill'', to be produced by former
Guns N' Roses Guns N' Roses is an American hard rock band from Los Angeles, California, formed in 1985. When they signed to Geffen Records in 1986, the band comprised vocalist Axl Rose, lead guitarist Slash (musician), Slash, rhythm guitarist Izzy Stradlin, ...
guitarist Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal. On the December 17, 2016 Christmas episode of '' Saturday Night Live'', DMC made a cameo appearance during a parody of Run DMC's "Christmas in Hollis." During the sketch he was portrayed by musical guest
Chance the Rapper Chancelor Johnathan Bennett (born April 16, 1993), known professionally as Chance the Rapper, is an American rapper, singer-songwriter, and record producer. Born and raised in Chicago, Bennett released his debut mixtape '' 10 Day'' in 2012. He ...
. On February 17, 2016, heavy metal band Solus Deus released their EP titled ''The Plague''. The song titled "Anacrime" features DMC on guest vocals. Starting in 2017 and continuing on an ongoing basis, DMC has joined the rock cover supergroup Royal Machines as a guest at their occasional concerts. Joining a revolving cast of celebrities in each lineup, including
Dave Navarro David Michael Navarro (born June 7, 1967) is an American guitarist. He is best known as a member of the rock band Jane's Addiction, with whom he has recorded four studio albums. Between 1993 and 1998, Navarro was the guitarist of the Red Hot C ...
,
Billy Morrison Billy Morrison is a British guitarist and singer who plays guitar with Billy Idol and performs with the Los Angeles-based cover band Royal Machines. Morrison previously played with Camp Freddy and fronted the hard rock act Circus Diablo. He ...
, Sebastian Bach,
Macy Gray Natalie Renée McIntyre (born September 6, 1967), known by her stage name Macy Gray, is an American R&B and soul singer and actress. She is known for her distinctive raspy voice and a singing style heavily influenced by Billie Holiday. Gray ha ...
, Fred Durst, DMC has performed covers of songs such as "Walk This Way", "Sweet Emotion", and "Black Betty" with the band. On September 15, 2017, Italian rapper
Caparezza Caparezza ( or ; meaning "Curly Head" in the Molfetta dialect) is the pseudonym of Michele Salvemini (born 9 October 1973), an Italian rapper. Born in Molfetta, in the southern region of Apulia, Caparezza debuted in 1997 at the Sanremo Festival ...
released his studio album titled ''Prisoner 709''. The song titled "Forever Jung" features DMC on guest vocals. On June 18, 2018, American rapper DeLiverance released his single titled "Slave To The Rhythm" features DMC on guest vocals. On August 13, 2018, DMC performed an encore with
O.A.R. O.A.R. (short for Of A Revolution) is an American rock band, founded in 1996 in Rockville, Maryland. The band consists of lead vocalist/guitarist Marc Roberge, drummer Chris Culos, guitarist Richard On, bassist Benj Gershman, saxophonist/guitar ...
, playing "
Walk This Way "Walk This Way" is a song by the American rock band Aerosmith. Written by Steven Tyler and Joe Perry, the song was originally released as the second single from the album '' Toys in the Attic'' (1975). It peaked at number 10 on the ''Billboa ...
". In February 2021, McDaniels released a song and animated video called "Let's All Get the Vaccine," to encourage the COVID-19 vaccination. In January 2022, McDaniels released his picture book, ''Darryl's Dream'', published by Random House.


Charity work

The Felix Organization In 2006, McDaniels and Sheila Jaffe, a fellow adoptee and Emmy award-winning casting director, co-founded The Felix Organization. Since its inception, The Felix Organization has served more than 10,000 children in the foster care system. Its flagship program, Camp Felix, is an annual sleepaway summer camp in Putnam Valley, New York. Additionally, The Felix Organization sponsors two teen camps on the East Coast. Camp Felix West is for Los Angeles-based youth in foster care. Other charity work In September 2006, McDaniels received the Congressional Angels in Adoption award for his work with children in foster care and promotion of adoption. He sits on the Board of Directors of Children's Rights, a national watchdog organization that reforms failing child welfare systems.


Personal life

McDaniels has been a resident of Wayne, New Jersey. He has been very frank about his battles with depression, including an appearance on '' Live From the Barrage'', speaking at length about it. He also has written pieces in '' Men's Health'' and ''BlackDoctor'', where he talked about his memoir, ''Ten Ways Not to Commit Suicide'' (Amistad, 2017).


Discography

With Run-D.M.C. * '' Run-D.M.C.'' (1984) * '' King of Rock'' (1985) * '' Raising Hell'' (1986) * '' Tougher Than Leather'' (1988) * ''
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 ...
'' (1990) * '' Down with the King'' (1993) * ''
Crown Royal Crown Royal, also known as Seagram's Crown Royal, is a blended Canadian whisky brand created by Seagram and owned by Diageo since 2000. Production of Crown Royal is done at Gimli, Manitoba, while the blending and bottling of the whisky are done ...
'' (2001) Solo * ''
Checks Thugs and Rock n Roll ''Checks Thugs and Rock n Roll'' is the debut solo studio album by American musician Darryl "D.M.C." McDaniels from hip hop group Run-DMC. It was released on March 14, 2006, through Romen Mpire/Rags 2 Riches Records. He was inspired to put out th ...
'' (2006) * ''Back from the Dead EP'' (2017) With Fragile Mortals * ''The Dark Project'' (2016)


Filmography


Video game appearances

* '' The Warriors'' – Scopes * '' Guitar Hero: Aerosmith'' – Himself


References


External links

* * *
"An Interview with DMC of Run DMC"
Brooklyn Vegan. December 12, 2006 * Diamond, Jay (June 26, 2008)

BritishHipHop.co.uk. * McNamara, Mary (December 12, 2009)
"'The People Speak'"
'' Los Angeles Times'' {{DEFAULTSORT:McDaniels, Darryl Run-DMC members 1964 births Living people American adoptees East Coast hip hop musicians African-American male rappers People from Harlem People from Hollis, Queens People from Wayne, New Jersey Rappers from New York City 20th-century American rappers 21st-century American rappers African-American Catholics