A new Broadway musical about the hip-hop group Run-DMC is in the works


The New York Times reports that veteran Hollywood producer Paula Wagner is to work on bringing a musical about the hip-hop group Run-DMC to Broadway.

The hip-hop trio group was composed of Joseph "DJ Run" Simmons, Darryl "D.M.C." McDaniels and Jason "Jam-Master Jay" Mizell. The group were credited with bringing hip-hop music into the main stream of popular music, and were named the greatest hip-hop group of all time by MTV.com and VH1. Run-DMC was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on 4 Apr 2009.

The three members of the group grew up in the borough of Queens, New York. The mutual love of rap brought the three together and they soon became friends, finally forming the group Run-DMC in 1983.

The group released 4 platinum albums, 'Run-D.M.C.,' 'King of Rock,' 'Raising Hell' (triple platinum) and 'Tougher Than Leather' Their final album, Crown Royal, was released in 2001. While on tour in 2001, group member Joseph "DJ Run" Simmons announced he no longer wished to tour.

It was not know if the group would still record together, but unfortunately the murder of Jason "Jam-Master Jay" Mizell on 30 Oct 2002 meant this was never going to happen.

The Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock & Roll says Run-D.M.C. "took hardcore hip-hop from an underground street sensation to a pop-culture phenomenon. Although earlier artists, such as Grandmaster Flash and the Sugar Hill Gang, made rap's initial strides on the airwaves, it was Run-D.M.C. that introduced hats, gold chains, and untied sneakers to youth culture's most stubborn demographic group: white, male, suburban rock fans. In the process, the trio helped change the course of popular music, paving the way for rap's second generation."

Producer Paula Wagner, famous for her proessional association with Tom Cruise, describes herself as a lifelong fan of the group ""Their lyrics and their music is infectious. It's vibrant, it's alive. Who they are and what they did was a culturally defining moment. It embraced everybody."

Paula Wagner acknowledged to the NY Times that her producing career in Hollywood does not mean she is therefore qualified to produce a hit off-Broadway show, but she has many friends associated with Broadway and with their help is confident that she can successfuly bring the project to Broadway.

The musical, which will feature original Run-DMC songs may also feature new material composed by the former group members Joseph "DJ Run" Simmons and Darryl "D.M.C." McDaniels. There is no time table for when the project will reach Broadway.

Run-D.M.C. (l - r)Joseph "DJ Run" Simmons, Jason "Jam-Master Jay" Mizell and Darryl "D.M.C." McDaniels

Originally published on

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