Run-D.M.C.‘s first performance in over ten years was at last year’s “Made In America” Festival, which was curated by hip-hop superstar Jay Z. But despite that connection, it looks like there may be no love between one member of hip-hop’s most legendary group and the rhymer from Brooklyn, who is arguably the biggest star in the genre today.
In a recent interview, DMC dismissed Jay’s popularity, stating that people only love him because they’ve been programmed because the radio plays his music constantly.
“It was inevitable that hip-hop became commercialized but along the way our power got taken away. Now you got the same 12 records on radio being played over and over again. Lil Wayne, Jay Z ain’t hot, it’s just they’re programmed so many times people are brainwashed,” Dee said.
“What made us, KRS, Tribe Called Quest and De La Soul great was that we wanted to change the world, taking responsibility for our actions. Now everything that’s negative in stupid ass America is celebrated,” he continued. “We took positivity and made it gangsta. We didn’t want an endorsement, we never knew we would do something historic. It started a tidal wave of opportunity with marketing.”
“Yes, we were materialistic, but if we rhymed about it once we never said it again,” said DMC. “Before us, people associated fresh sneakers with drug dealers and black stereotypes. So we sat on stage at Live Aid and showed the world something positive.”
