A man of many coats, Queens native Joseph Simmons is best known as a pioneer of hip hop. A founding member of Run D.M.C,  “Run” joined forces with Darryl “DMC” Mitchells and DJ Jason “Jam Master Jay” Mizell and unknowingly altered the direction of hip hop music forever.  Throughout the 80’s Run D.M.C inspired followers to “Walk this Way” while breaking barriers in their Adidas. The group holds records for a number of hip hop firsts including being the first rap group to make a video appearance on MTV, first rap group to cover Rolling Stone magazine, and they’re the first rap act to attain gold, platinum and multi platinum albums. In 2009, Run D.M.C. cemented their place among music’s royalty with an induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

With close to a million followers on social networking site Twitter, Rev Run’s legacy lives on and grows daily. Today, a practicing minister, he continues to share his life with fans as the star of “Run’s House.” The reality television show introduced audiences to his life beyond the mic as a father and husband. Highly entertaining, it became one of the most successful shows on MTV, allowing daughters Vanessa and Angela to star in spin off series “Daddy’s Girls.”

—Tiffany L. Reeves