What do you think?
Rate this book
King of Rock: Respect, Responsibility, and My Life with Run-DMC
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 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.
In King of 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.
224 pages, Hardcover
First published January 28, 2001
About the author
Darryl McDaniels
10 books24 followersDarryl "D.M.C." Matthews McDaniels is a musician, rapper and producer. He is a founding member of the hip hop group Run–D.M.C and is known as a pioneer in the genre.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
February 25, 2010
I look at the cover of this book, whereupon it is indicated that Darryl McDaniels had help from one "Bruce Haring" in writing this book, but I can't even fathom what Mr. Haring brought to the table of this book's authorship, because the tone and diction is distractingly conversational. This is both a strength and a weakness, though...sure, you get your fair share of "could of"s and "do you know what I mean?"s and so forth, which can be endearing, or just tiring.
DMC has an awesome career under his belt--really he is a hero of sorts of mine; my favorite member of one of my very favorite groups of all time. He seems like a genuinely likable guy. At times he gets preachy, but you can tell it's coming from the heart, and certainly he means well. Mostly I'd read this one for the stories about Run-D.M.C. and DMC's childhood and the like, and because it would probably take about two days (max) to read if you were concentrating hard on getting through it. I basically read a third of it each time I did any heavy reading of it, but that was spread out over the course of three weeks or whatever. An easy and interesting read, especially for Run-D.M.C. fans or rock autobiography fans. This book is also around 10 years old...I heard DMC is coming out with another autobiography, since this one was written before Jam Master Jay was killed, before DMC found out that his parents were not his real parents (which will apparently be the primary focus of the book, as I understand it), before Run had his own TV show, before Run-D.M.C. was inducted into the rock and roll hall of fame, and so on. I'll be interested to read that when it comes out, I'm sure he has things to say on all of these topics, and I'd be interested to read them.
DMC has an awesome career under his belt--really he is a hero of sorts of mine; my favorite member of one of my very favorite groups of all time. He seems like a genuinely likable guy. At times he gets preachy, but you can tell it's coming from the heart, and certainly he means well. Mostly I'd read this one for the stories about Run-D.M.C. and DMC's childhood and the like, and because it would probably take about two days (max) to read if you were concentrating hard on getting through it. I basically read a third of it each time I did any heavy reading of it, but that was spread out over the course of three weeks or whatever. An easy and interesting read, especially for Run-D.M.C. fans or rock autobiography fans. This book is also around 10 years old...I heard DMC is coming out with another autobiography, since this one was written before Jam Master Jay was killed, before DMC found out that his parents were not his real parents (which will apparently be the primary focus of the book, as I understand it), before Run had his own TV show, before Run-D.M.C. was inducted into the rock and roll hall of fame, and so on. I'll be interested to read that when it comes out, I'm sure he has things to say on all of these topics, and I'd be interested to read them.
November 6, 2024
I was expecting this to talk about his amazing experience having Sarah McLachlan's music save his life, but maybe that's in one of his later books. This is just the story of a pretty normal dumb guy who happened to be good at making rap hooks. Some interesting stuff, but none of his preachy advice is interesting or surprising.
The best part is when he explains that he was drinking 12 40 oz of OE every day before pancreatitis made him quit drinking.
The best part is when he explains that he was drinking 12 40 oz of OE every day before pancreatitis made him quit drinking.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews