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BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — Darryl "D.M.C." McDaniels knows what it is like to reach the mountaintop.
McDaniels is best known as a member of the legendary hip hop group Run-D.M.C., alongside Joseph "Run" Simmons and the late Jason "Jam Master Jay" Mizell. Together, the three crafted such hit songs as "My Adidas," "King of Rock," "It's Tricky," "Christmas in Hollis," "Mary, Mary," and their cover of Aerosmith's "Walk This Way," a collaboration with Steven Tyler and Joe Perry that helped bridge the gap between hip hop and rock music.
Run-D.M.C. also became the first hip hop group to go platinum, grace the cover of Rolling Stone magazine, and be nominated for a Grammy Award, among other achievements.
And yet, McDaniels also knows that success does not equal happiness. Speaking with WBZ NewsRadio Thursday, McDaniels described a period of his life where he was an "alcoholic, suicidal, metaphysical, spiritual wreck."
"I woke up one morning and I was completely depressed," McDaniels said. "And I didn't know why. I looked at my life, you know, 'Walk This Way,' '[My] Adidas,' MTV, first to go gold, first to go platinum, first on the cover of Rolling Stone with this hip hop thing. I’m Darryl McDaniels, why do I feel like I don’t want to live anymore?"
Soon after, McDaniels made a major discovery while conducting research for his autobiography: he was adopted. McDaniels credits this revelation with leading him to rehab and getting clean.
"It wasn't until I met another adoptee who made me realize, oh, I'm not the only adopted person in this world," McDaniels said. "I knew I wasn't alone. Then I started thinking, I might not be the only depressed person in this world, I might not be the only alcoholic in this world, I might not be the only suicidal person in this world. So the traumatic revelation of me finding out that I was adopted filled an empty void in me."
Now 21 years sober, McDaniels is using his story to help fuel a new project: Rock Bottom: The Musical, a show about addiction, recovery, and sobriety.
"I was approached to participate by [Bad Company and Free drummer] Simon Kirke, one of the most incredible drummers and musicians in the history of music," McDaniels told WBZ NewsRadio.
The project has several other musicians attached, including Tom Hamilton (Aerosmith), Barry Goudreau (Boston), Woody Geissmann (the Del Fuegos), Stu Kimball (Bob Dylan, Peter Wolf), and Boston Red Sox organist Josh Kantor, as well as Boston-based comedian Tony V.
The Rock Bottom crew will make their public performance debut Thursday night at a launch event and fundraiser in Norwood.
"Go tackle your problem. Your story will save people’s lives," McDaniels said.
Hear the full interview with Darryl "D.M.C." McDaniels and WBZ's Drew Moholland.