It's Like That.

From old-school rap to new age message, Rev. Run completes the circle

This issue recognizes the June Sunday that traditionally honors Pops. Where would many of us be without him? No doubt, some heads would be singing songs in a different key of life. Certainly, props and big respect are due to a nation of moms but this one is for all the baby's daddies, who, to paraphrase Jay- Z (on "This Can't Be Life"), have "gone through it," and survived. Survival what? Survived the actuary tables' 24-year life span. Survived the Social Security's 64-year payout plan. Survived society's mental beatdowns. Survived the genocidal guerillas. Survived the hood and the haters. Survived the politics of the police. And survival the jury-rigged "Just-Us" system.

Joseph Simmons better known as Run of Run-DMC and now known as Reverend Run is one of those survivors. This rapper, rebel, reverend and father of five has gone through both the hit-making hype and depressing hypocrisy of hip hop music--and he's still running. However, for Rev. Run, the road to the hits was broad and paved with the decadence of the fast life of a superstar that was fueled by the pure materialism of fast money, cars, women, weed and a rape charge. "That's what my book explains," Run said in an interview for this article. "It tails about all of that (sinful) stuff I did. And how I figured my life out and turned it around by going to church." The book, titled appropriately It's Like That (by Rev. Run with Curtis L. Taylor, St. Martin's Press, $18.95, ISBN 0-31220467-1), from the hit song, is a spiritual memoir cum autobiographical rapsheet of the evolution of Run/Run-DMC consisting of 13 incisive chapters, followed by 13 of Run's House Rules (think proverbs with a b-boy spin). "I chose that title for the book because that's the way it is," Run explained. "It IS like that. That's one of the most important things we need to know. Life is like that. There's poverty, there's crime." Warming up to the subject of haplessness many feel in the face of adversity, he added, "There's some people who are gonna have and some who are not. You're gonna have hard times. So what? Sure life is a puzzle but don't let that be an excuse not to go ahead. I don't want to hear that! It's like that." Rev. Run also extended his diatribe to those brothers who offer up nothing but excuses regarding their paternalistic skills. Welcoming the responsibility of his own children in college, high school and grade school, the thought of another black man shucking that "blessing" is anathema to him. "If you don't take care of your family, I don't understand that," he said, his voice full of irritation. "I mean, it should be imbedded in you, it's instinct. Like the birds take care of their own, animals do it. Come on. If you don't take care of your own, the Bible says 'you're worse than the infidels.' From infant to 18 years of age, at least, you're supposed to be there for them." Ironically, Run's own spiritual growth was one of "amnesia" until he came across Minister Robert Tilton. In It's Like That, he explained, "My (spiritual) change began late one night when I was watching television in my hotel ... Something just drew me to him (Tilton), and I needed to hear what he was saying ... At one point, he directed viewers at home to bow their heads, close their eyes and pray. It was the first time I had looked inside myself in years ... I began to feel free, like the weight of the world was being lifted off my shoulders." That spiritual high led Run to Zoe Ministries where he served humbly as first an usher, and a deacon before being ordained a minister under the aegis of Bishop E. Barnard Jordan a year and a half later. Now, he's offering ministerial and fatherly advice to those who seek it, including other rappers like Treach and Pepa (of Salt n' Pepa). "I put together their marriage and spoke to them," Rev. Run said. "That's a marriage that had the potential of being very explosive because it's a rapper marrying a rapper. And here I am, a rapper presiding over the marriage. That says something about who can make it and how things can work out" Speaking of "turning out" you can find Run with DMC and Jam Master Jay back in the studio turning out another album called Crown Royal that features collabs with some of rap's, r&b's and pop rock's hottest talent like Jagged Edge, Nas, Method Man, Fat Joe, Prodigy, Limp Bizkit, Everlast and Third Eye Blind. Run said no one should think of this as a comeback album. "We were never gone," he said. "We just hadn't recorded a record but we were still touring. If somebody says comeback to Tina Turner, she'd say, 'Comeback? I just got off stage singing and my feet hurt' We've been doing it since the last album, traveling around the world. So this is NOT a comeback." There simply have been setbacks. Yet, Rev. Run can still say (and does) that along with DMC and Jam Master Jay, they're the "kings of rap" and have a crown to prove it.