Kings From Queens: The Run-DMC Story Will Have You Emotionally Captivated
If you were lucky enough to see Run-DMC perform, you know just how impactful they were in hip-hop history. Run-DMC, consisting of Joseph "Rev. Run" Simmons, Darryl "DMC" McDaniels, and Jason "Jam Master Jay" Mizell, emerged in the 1980s and played a role in shaping the genre.
Kings From Queens: The Run-DMC Story is a three-part docu series showcasing their rise to fame, their influence in fashion and music, and the struggles along the way. It’s a fresh perspective told by Simmons and McDaniels themselves while also introducing the artists that came before and after them including LL Cool J, N.W.A, Eminem, Salt-N-Pepa, Questlove, and much more!
I have to say this might be one of my favorite documentaries about a music group. Although their story isn’t new information, what drives it is the emotions expressed by Simmons and McDaniels. They were both just kids living in Queens, had different childhoods, yet wanted to dominate hip-hop to show people it wasn’t a “fad.” McDaniels opens up about his humble beginnings liking comic books, getting bullied, and wearing glasses. He also talks about his mental health struggles with fame that led him to addiction. For Simmons, faith became very important to him hence “Rev. Run.” It was interesting to see how that came about and how he balanced being a Reverend and a hip-hop star.
The first two episodes focus on their rise to fame from small shows to releasing records, collaborating with Beastie Boys and Aerosmith, Adidas fashion, and the opportunity to perform at Live Aid in 1985 after the event received backlash for not including Black artists. These guys were just doing what they love, but had such an immense impact that everyone was listening to them. As a music lover, there are moments where they go into a music break playing the hits like “Walk This Way,” “It’s Tricky,” “Sucker MC’s,” and “It’s Like That.” It’s a nice moment to really embrace the sound and dance around for a minute.
The final episode is the most emotional of all when they talk about Mizell’s death and, inevitably, the end of Run-DMC. We get to hear from the children of these members who talk about seeing their dads on stage rocking out. Mizell’s wife discusses when she heard the news and how it impacted her. She also talks about doing right by him with everything she does with her children. This will tug on some heart strings for most people because of how much love their families have for them. Even seeing Darryl McDaniels Jr. talk about seeing his dad become comfortable in his own skin and loving superheroes again after the tragic end of the group is such a heartfelt moment in the series. Kings From Queens: The Run-DMC story is unfiltered, personal, and emotional.
The storytelling, the archival footage, and the emotions make this series so captivating to watch. Run-DMC will forever have a place in people’s hearts and continue to be the ones that helped solidify the hip-hop genre.
All three parts of Kings From Queens: The Run-DMC Story is out now on Peacock.
