Joseph Ward Simmons, better known by the stage name Run, Rev. Run or DJ Run, is an American rapper, producer, DJ and television personality. Simmons is one of the founding members of the influential hip hop group Run-DMC. He is also a practicing minister, known as Reverend Run.
Simmons in 2000
Run-DMC was an American hip hop group from Hollis, Queens New York, formed in 1983 by Joseph Simmons, Darryl McDaniels, and Jason Mizell. Run-DMC is regarded as one of the most influential acts in the history of hip hop culture and especially one of the most famous hip hop acts of the 1980s. Along with Beastie Boys, LL Cool J, DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince, and Public Enemy, the group pioneered new-school hip hop music and helped usher in the golden age of hip hop. The group was among the first to highlight the importance of the MC and DJ relationship.
A poster for a Southern California concert starring the group in 1984
A ticket for a 1984 concert in Oakland, California
12" single cover for the group's single "My Adidas"
Run-DMC in Paris, 1987