King of Rock

Book excerpt: Darryl McDaniels, better known as DMC, is only one-third of the groundbreaking rap group Run-DMC, but his trendsetting style and street-smart wisdom have made him a star in his own right. Darryl formed Run-DMC fifteen years ago with two friends, and since then the group has been transforming rap and hip-hop into the most popular music in the world, while building a fan base that quietly rivals the biggest acts in rock and roll. From the streets of Hollis, Queens, to the world's largest arenas, Darryl and Run-DMC blazed the trail that would take rap and hip-hop to the top of the charts, but as pioneers the group would also face a number of trials and tribulations. In King of Rock: Respect, Responsibility, and My Life with Run-DMC, Darryl candidly talks for the first time about his career as a rap artist and the people he has met throughout the years. Through hilarious anecdotes and thoughtful reflection, Darryl shares the wisdom he has accumulated in his thirty-five years, detailing his battles with fame, money, drugs, and alcohol. Darryl's sharp, flavorful tales of the rise of the group and the fascinating behind-the-scenes glimpses he offers of the rap and hip-hop world capture the excitement and the hardship of being in the spotlight, while also revealing the knowledge he has gained along the way. Written from the distinct perspective of an artist who has been an integral part of the rap and hip-hop scene since day one, King of Rock is at once the story of Run-DMC and the memoir of Darryl McDaniels-a boy from Queens trying to make it in the big time. With confidence, compassion, and an acute awareness of life's troubles and rewards, Darryl traces his experiences growing up and into the rap mogul DMC, and finally settling into marriage, fatherhood, and a shift of focus to respect, responsibility, and peace. King of Rock is a sharply observed, unpretentious, and often very funny account of being a part of one of the most important acts in the history of popular music.