Darryl McDaniels of Run-DMC Reflects on the Key Moment That Inspired His Path to Sobriety

Chuck D, Run-DMC’s Darryl McDaniels, Henry Rollins.
Credit :

Arturo Holmes/Getty; Eugene Gologursky/Getty; Emma McIntyre/Getty

NEED TO KNOW

• Darryl ‘DMC’ McDaniels is sharing the importance community played in his own sobriety journey.
• McDaniels has been sober since 2004.
• The hip hop icon, 61, is partnering with 1 Million Strong to advocate for more sober spaces in sports, music, and entertainment.

Darryl McDaniels, a member of Run-DMC, emphasizes the significance of community in overcoming the challenges of sobriety. Speaking to PEOPLE, the 61-year-old artist, who has been sober since 2004, discussed his collaboration with 1 Million Strong to promote inclusive sober environments across various entertainment sectors.

“When you’re going through something, you feel so alone. You don’t really confide in anybody because everybody’s going to think that you’re weird, so you start doing what everybody is doing, even though you’re the one that’s getting the most messed up,” McDaniels stated. He added, “Because if you’re doing what everybody’s doing, you still feel like you have a place somewhere. And that’s why I like 1 Million Strong, because they’re creating community for you to belong to.”

Run-DMC’s Darryl McDaniels.

Stand Together

Reflecting on his struggles, McDaniels indicated that the pressure of maintaining success as part of Run-DMC contributed to his substance abuse. “All of these things start building up. You say, ‘I got to do this, because I don’t want Run and Jay to be mad at me. I don’t want the label to be mad at me.’ You start thinking about everybody else’s needs instead of your own,” he explained.

It was only through therapy and rehabilitation that he recognized the importance of prioritizing his own well-being. “It wasn’t until therapy and rehab that I realized I don’t need none of that s—. All I need to do is be happy with who I am, which I was before I started listening to the perspectives of other people,” he remarked.

McDaniels also highlighted the music industry’s tendency to celebrate a party culture. “In my community, my whole life growing up, it was never discussed. At the time, if you listened to hip-hop and rock records, drinking and smoking and having sex, it’s what you were supposed to be doing.” He added that many people are unaware of the negative impact of these behaviors, explaining, “So a lot of people don’t know no better. So they get thrust in the hole.”

Run-DMC’s Darryl McDaniels performs.

Stand Together

Recognizing that others within the industry thrive without substance use has reshaped McDaniels’ outlook. He recalled a conversation during a 1988 tour with prominent hip-hop artists. “I remember when Chuck said that because Chuck’s my favorite guy of all time. I love Chuck because of that voice, the delivery, and what he did with those records,” he explained. Hearing Public Enemy’s Chuck D assert, “I never got high a goddamn day in my life,” had a profound impact on him.

McDaniels later had a similar encounter with Henry Rollins during a panel discussion on addiction, where Rollins echoed Chuck D’s sentiment. “After the conference, I turned to Henry and said, ‘Henry, how long have you been in recovery and sober?’ and Henry, in a very eloquent voice, said, ‘Darryl, I’ve never got high a goddamn day in my life,’” McDaniels recounted. This repetition of the message solidified its importance in his journey of promoting sobriety.

These experiences have strengthened McDaniels’ resolve to advocate for sober living. “It’s one thing telling people you could get sober and you could stay clean, and there’s a whole community, a whole universe of people just like you. But Chuck D and Henry Rollins are examples that it’s always been there,” he stated, reinforcing the message that sobriety is possible and supported within the entertainment industry.