After a career that started back in 1983 with a little single called "It's Like That," it appears that rappers Run-D.M.C. have finally hung up their Adidas for the long haul after delivering what was hyped as a "final performance" at the "Hip-Hop 50" festival at New York City's Yankee Stadium on August 11.
Originally a trio, Run-D.M.C. have only reunited on rare occasions since the murder of Jason "Jay Master Jay" Mizell in 2002, but the opportunity to formally give a final performance in conjunction with a concert commemorating the 50th anniversary of hip-hop proved impossible for surviving members Joseph "Run" Simmons and Darryl "D.M.C." McDaniels to resist.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams celebrates Run-D.M.C. Day
In advance of the performance, Simmons and McDaniels made the most of their temporary reunion: New York City mayor Eric Adams officially proclaimed August 9 as "RUN-DMC Day," and from August 10-12, a Run-D.M.C. art installation and pop-up shop was held at Bleecker Trading to celebrate the group's career.
In a January 2023 interview with RockTheBells.com, McDaniels explained why Run-D.M.C. were making plans to formally call it a day as a group.
“People got to understand this—is Dave Grohl still running around trying to be Nirvana?” said McDaniels. “Is Sting still running around trying to be The Police? Are Paul and Ringo running around trying to be The Beatles? There’s enough life left for both of us. We can’t be Run-D.M.C. without Jay. People laugh and say, ‘OK, we get it.’ But seriously, Run-D.M.C. will get back together when The Beatles get back together. Run-D.M.C., as a performing and touring entity, we can’t do it without Jay.”
The Essential Run-D.M.C.
Run-D.M.C.'s final performance served as the closing salvo of the "Hip-Hop 50" festival, which reveals just how important the group was to the genre. But the positioning of their set becomes even more impressive after taking a gander at the other artists involved in the event.
Among those who performed during the course of the star-studded evening: Ashanti, Cam'ron, Fat Joe, Doug E. Fresh, Ms. Lauryn Hill, Ice Cube, Wiz Khalifa, KRS-One, Lil' Kim, Lil Wayne, Remy Ma, Mobb Deep, Nas, Snoop Dogg, T.I., members of the Wu-Tang Clan, and a DJ segment by Kid Capri featuring a guest appearance by Derek Jeter. (Maybe he just happened to be hanging around Yankee Stadium that night?)
Run-D.M.C. - Crown Royal
Among the classic raps dropped by Run-D.M.C. during the course of their performance: "Sucker M.C.'s," "It's Like That," "It's Tricky," "Beats to the Rhyme," "Mary Mary," "King of Rock," "Run's House," "Down witt the King," "Peter Piper," "You Be Illin'," "Ooh, Whatcha Gonna Do," "My Adidas," and their iconic cover of Aerosmith's "Walk This Way."
Upon the completion of "Walk This Way," Run-D.M.C. walked off the stage, ostensibly forever. But was this really their final show together? That's certainly how they're treating it, anyway.
Still, let's keep our fingers crossed that Simmons and McDaniels are hale and hearty enough in 25 years for someone to convince them to rap their way through "Hip-Hop 75."
