Vibe.com, April 4th, 2006
We all know about DMC, of the legendary, pioneering Run DMC, but what do we really know about Darryl McDaniels, the man behind the mic? Not much. As a matter of fact, Darryl knew about DMC the artist, but, like everyone else, he didn’t really know about himself - about Darryl, the man.
In this VIBE.com exclusive, Darryl ‘DMC’ McDaniels speaks to us about his poignant search for his birth family, meeting them for the first time, and Checks Thugs & Rock N Roll, his new album. This is how one b-boy became a b-man.
Vibe.com: Obviously you’re world renowned for being DMC, part of the pioneering Run DMC. How did you put that aside and search for your birth family as Darryl?
DMC: Well, for me, prior to me finding out I was adopted, everything the world new about me was what I knew about me. They knew DMC was Darryl McDaniels from Hollis. I became DMC full of fame and fortune, but then it hit me 10 years ago, that there’s something missing and I didn’t know what. Then, five years ago I found out I was adopted and it was all about finding out. The adoptees, we have a saying, “Never start a book from chapter two. Always find out what chapter one is about.” Everyone knows DMC because of what I did with Jay and Run. People say we touched them and they could remember when they bought our first cassette. Everyone knows what was up with DMC, but Darryl had to find out what was up with Darryl.
So despite all the fame, the family situation had to be resolved?
For years it was, ‘DMC you’re a pioneer, an innovator, God, you’re great’, but at the end of the day my whole purpose was to tell people, I’m just like everyone else. I don’t like the way people put celebrities up on a pedestal, especially when celebrities don’t realize why they really have that celebrity power. It was like hip hop adopted me. If my mother would have never gave me up, she [hip hop] wouldn’t have come and got me. I wouldn’t have moved to Hollis, where I met Run and Jay. It would have never happened that way. I’m living proof that no matter what your situation, you’ll have a purpose in this life, but for me, I was asking myself a few years ago, ‘OK, am I here just to be DMC?’
Why did you choose to take your adoption search public on VH1?
Well, I attend adoption anonymous group meetings and that’s a meeting with other adoptees. I said to myself that first of all I’m going to do a search, so I could find out how this whole DMC stuff began and second of all, I’m going to document the journey. The first three days into the documentary, I wanted to quit because it was so overwhelming; the shame, the guilt, the lies were too much. The reason why I kept going was at my adoption anonymous meetings, all my fellow members would pat me on the back and thank me for doing it. They told me that I was doing a good thing and it was going to be good for so many other people. I thought it was just about me, but it became a bigger picture when I realized I had to do this. I realized it’s my responsibility because I was put in this position to help millions of other people.
How long did the actual search for your birth family take?
It took me five years with all the emotion to figure out if I want to search because a lot of times your biological mother will want to have nothing to do with you. The actual search took me six weeks, which is unheard of, because usually it takes years. VH1 originally approached me to do Surreal Life, but I told them that everything I do has to have artistic creativity. I began to tell them about my adoption and they were asking me if I’m sure I want to put it out like that and I said I have to.
What was it like when you met your birth family?
For me it was to see the place where I came from. The funniest thing is I finally see someone I look like in my family because growing up I didn’t look like anyone in my family. I had more muscles, I was taller than everyone in my family, but life was so good for me. But to see a lady and brothers and sisters that look like me, was kind of cool.
How often do you speak to your biological mother?
