Hip-Hop Pioneer DMC Delivers Uplifting Messages
Linden Public Schools welcomed an exciting visitor when legendary rapper Darryl “DMC” McDaniels, a founding member of pioneering group Run-DMC, delivered uplifting messages to students about reaching their greatest potential.
McDaniels spoke at School No. 4 on March 29, to that school’s third-graders as well as visiting students from Linden High School, and McManus and Soehl middle schools. Video of his appearance at School No. 4 was shared so that everyone in the district could join in his message. He also visited Linden High School for a sit-down interview with student journalists from TNT Student News.
He highlighted the importance of education, a love for learning, and hard work as the path to success.
“This educational opportunity is your preparation for the thing that you were put here to do,” he said at School No. 4. “Because if it wasn’t meant for you to be great, you wouldn’t be here. This morning has nothing to do with what Run-DMC is. This morning is part of your purpose and destiny.
“Education is just information. But when you receive that information that is education, there is a transformation.”
McDaniels was invited to visit with students by Superintendent Dr. Marnie Hazelton, who has worked with him since her days as a teacher on Long Island. McDaniels did not charge for his visit and spent hours at School No. 4 and LHS greeting students and staff, signing his book, and posing for pictures.
“We were so happy to be able to host Darryl so that our students could be inspired by his story of success,” Hazelton said. “He is able to engage students of all ages because he can understand some of the struggles they are going through, and show them that they can still end up on top.”
In introducing McDaniels to the crowd at School No. 4, Hazelton told the crowd a little bit about his career and the history of Run-DMC.
“I urge my younger scholars to Google Run-DMC,” she said. “They are an iconic rap group of many firsts: the first to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame; the first to have their videos played on MTV, when MTV still showed videos; the first to be on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine; the first rap group to go multiplatinum.”
McDaniels was visibly delighted when the program kicked off with School No. 4 teachers and staff doing a flash mob dance to the Run-DMC and Aerosmith collaboration of “Walk This Way.”
McDaniels drove the point home to the students gathered at School No. 4 that school is the path to success and not just here to make life difficult. He asked students to repeat after him, and they responded emphatically.
“School … isn’t put in my life … to make me miserable. … School … is preparation … to prepare me … for whatever it is … that I’m gonna do … when I grow up. … Yeah!”
He closed out with a final thought on what students should take from his visit.
“I am the living, breathing show-and-tell that dreams do come true.”
