Innovator, Motivator, Philanthropist, Darryl “DMC” McDaniels changed  music and made history when he broke down cultural barriers with his  legendary band Run-DMC. Fifty million record sales and over a billion streams later, he continues to inspire & impact the world…

 
Darryl “DMC” McDaniels is a legendary music icon who first impacted the world  more than 40 years ago when RUN-DMC made their recording debut “It’s Like  That/ Sucker MCs” (Profile Records) From the first rap group to grace the cover  of Rolling Stone Magazine to the first to appear on MTV, DMC helped changed  music, culture, fashion, language and made American history. It would be hard to  overstate his influence on popular culture.

 
Fifty million+ physical record sales and over a billion song streams later, DMC  still continues to create, inspire and motivate. In 2009, as a founding member of  Run DMC, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and in 2016 he  received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award from the Recording Academy  given to “performers who, during their lifetimes, have made creative contributions  of outstanding artistic significance to the field of recording.”

 
His label King of Rock Entertainment just released his latest single “She Gets Me  High” featuring Sebastian Bach, Mick Mars, Duff McKagan and Travis Barker with a new EP and vinyl album on the way.

His cookie company Darryl Makes Cookies featuring his favorite cookies (chocolate chip and a seasonal holiday sugar cookie called ‘Christmas In Hollis’) and his comics and graphic novels from Darryl Makes Comics continue to delight  fans.  

In addition to his cookies and comics, Darryl has released two children’s book in his Young DMC publishing series; “Darryl’s Dream” (KORE/Random  House/2023) and most recently “Darryl’s Christmas in Hollis (Blue Balloon  Books).

 
He is also the co-author of two critically acclaimed books: his memoir entitled,  Ten Ways Not to Commit Suicide (2016/Harpers/Amistad) giving him another  platform to talk about his past struggles with depression and helping those,  especially men of color, remove the shame of asking for help and his  autobiography, “King of Rock: Respect, Responsibility, and My Life with Run DMC” (2001/ Out of Print)

 
In 2006 Darryl released the hit single “Just like Me” featuring Sarah McLachlan; a  song he wrote after discovering he was adopted. The song spoke to his new
revelation and began his journey down another life path, in search of his birth mother. While his search struggle was captured in the 2007 Emmy Winning VH1  documentary DMC: My Adoption Journey, the process gave DMC tremendous  insight and purpose, prompting him to become an advocate for adoption and  children in foster care.  

In 2006 he co-founded the Felix Organization with Hollywood casting agent  Sheila Jaffe- a nonprofit that works to provide inspiring opportunities and new  experiences to enrich the lives of children who are growing in the foster care  system. http://www.thefelixorganization.org

In between his work as a musical artist and producer, published author and  speaker, philanthropist and advocate, McDaniels finds time to talk with school  kids across the country about respect, responsibility, and self-awareness. One of  his many memorable engagements included an invitation in 2015 by former  President Barack Obama to speak at the White House to a group of young men  about fatherhood.

 
Darryl has also appeared before Congress and various State legislatures in  support of adoptees and foster children, worked with former First Lady Michelle  Obama on part of her “Get Fit” Campaign, was a featured speaker at the 2016  Kennedy Forum #Young Minds Matter event on Mental Health, and was a  featured speaker at the 2017 SXSW Music Festival and 2017 Kennedy Center  Honors to name a few.

 
Darryl “DMC” McDaniels serves on the Board of Directors of The Garden of  Dreams Foundation, a non-profit charity that works closely with all areas of The  Madison Square Garden Company, including the Knicks, Rangers, Liberty, MSG  Entertainment and MSG Media, to make dreams come true for children facing  obstacles.

 
He has partnered with Uwill, the leading mental health and wellness solution  supporting 3 million students at 400 schools, as a mental health advocate is a member of Stevie Van Zandt’s TeachRock Artist Council, and isan Advisory  Board Member for Hip Hop Public Health, an organization whose mission “is to  foster positive health behavior change through the transformative power of hip hop music.”