Darryl McDaniels
Run-DMC
San Diego, CA USA
"You’ve got to go through to get to."
Career Roadmap
Darryl's work combines: Music, Writing, and Communicating / Sharing Stories
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Day In The Life
Skills &
Education
Here's the path I took:
High School
Life & Career Milestones
My path in life has been direct
1.
I grew up in Hollis, Queens, in New York.
2.
I initially thought I wanted to create comic books because I loved the storytelling aspect—that love for storytelling transferred to music when I realized that’s exactly what 70s folk rock was doing.
3.
When hip hop broke onto the scene, I was sold—all throughout my teenage years, I wrote raps that told stories about myself.
4.
After high school, I was accepted into St. John’s University and enrolled but didn’t end up graduating because I became immersed in the music and entertainment industry.
5.
My friend Joseph “Run” Simmons and I created our first single and it became a national hit.
6.
We created Run-DMC with DJ Jason Mizell, and became the most popular hip hop group at the time.
7.
I eventually started struggling with depression and alcoholism, which intensified when I found out I was adopted—I struggled for years before finally seeking help and turning my life around.
8.
In 2022 I released a children’s book, “Darryl’s Dream,” to tell kids the personal characteristics that make them who they are will help them successfully achieve their dreams.
Defining Moments
How I responded to discouragement
THE NOISE
Messages from Society in general:
You won't be successful with hip hop. It's a fad. It'll be over soon.
How I responded:
When we first got into hip hop, people didn't believe we'd be successful. They said it was a fad and that it would be over. I spent my first year in the business doing free shows because the world had no faith or belief in us. I told people that they didn't need to pay me—I just needed an opportunity. The money and fame did come later, but that's not what drove me. I just needed the opportunity to show people that I had something worthy of their attention.
Experiences and challenges that shaped me
I struggled with depression and suicidal thoughts. When I found out I was adopted, I spiraled even more. I really struggled until I met someone else who was adopted. Speaking with her and sharing my thoughts and feelings was a turning point for me.
While struggling with depression after finding out I was adopted, I turned to self-medication with alcohol. I struggled for years and was in denial about needing help. When I finally went to rehab and sought therapy, my life changed.