Darryl “DMC” McDaniels of Run-DMC Talks New Holiday Children’s Book Celebrating Generosity

Summary

---

Podcast Summary: Ballast Book Launch

Episode: Darryl “DMC” McDaniels of Run-DMC Talks New Holiday Children’s Book Celebrating Generosity

Host: Andy Simmons (President & Publisher, Ballast and Blue Bloom Books)
Guest: Darryl "DMC" McDaniels (Run-DMC, Author)
Date: December 8, 2025

---

Episode Overview

This episode features Darryl “DMC” McDaniels of Run-DMC, interviewed by Andy Simmons, primarily focusing on DMC’s second children’s book, Darryl’s Christmas in Hollis. The discussion dives deep into the book’s inspiration, cultural importance, the process of creating children’s literature, and the universal lessons of generosity and inclusivity that it teaches. Both men reflect on the lifelong value of books, creativity, and the power of connecting across cultures—with DMC’s unique perspective as a legendary figure in both the music and literary worlds.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Spark: Why Write Children's Books?

• DMC started speaking at schools, engaging children by addressing them authentically:

  “I go in and say, 'Yo, what's up, y'all? My name is Darryl McDaniel.' Boom boom. You know, I speak to them like people.” (01:52, DMC)

• Educators encouraged him to write, noting he could “reach so many kids without having to actually be there.”

• His mission mirrors that of his music:

  “Inspire, motivate, educate, while you entertain.” (02:16, DMC)

• DMC wanted to create stories for kids reflecting their cultural backgrounds and experiences—stories that, he felt, were missing from classic children’s literature.

---

2. Relating to Kids & Sharing Stories

• DMC recounts how kids connect with him through pop culture references—Run-DMC’s “It’s Tricky” is known via TikTok and movies, bridging the generational gap (04:24).

• He stresses the importance of matching headspace:

  “Kindergarten and sixth grade, I gotta tell stories about when I was in the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth grade. So that was the brilliant thing…” (05:05, DMC)

• When approached as people, kids respond honestly, especially about issues like bullying, anxiety, and family dynamics.

• Notably, DMC shares his own upbringing—being a comic book-loving “geeky nerd kid” who loved to read and was often teased for it.

---

3. Core Themes of 'Darryl’s Christmas in Hollis'

• The book was inspired by his childhood experience wanting a special bike but choosing to give it away to someone less fortunate (12:05):

  “I started seeing that Christmas—you could be Santa Claus… If you give without expecting anything in return, you still get [something].” (12:13, DMC)

• It spotlights the joy of generosity, the meaning of giving, and how diverse traditions—Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Christmas, Eid—can be woven into shared experiences.

• The inclusivity is intentional:

  “We wanted to include the celebrations and traditions of other cultures because all these kids are in the same classrooms, they’re in the same lunchrooms, they're in the same school.” (14:41, DMC)

---

4. Building Empathy and Addressing Real-World Issues

• The book organically moves kids through situations: home life, school, sharing, recognizing less fortunate families—mirroring their real worlds (17:13).

• DMC touches on children’s emotional worlds and mental health:

  “You want the kids to understand that their feelings are okay to have and their emotions are okay to have… If you teach them that, when they’re older, they’ll have their own tools.” (18:03, DMC & 47:56)

• The story addresses topics like homelessness in a way kids can process, empowering them to realize they “can do something about it”.

• The food theme, recurring in the book—and the original “Christmas in Hollis” lyrics—serves as a universal link across cultures (19:45).

---

5. The Enduring Power of Books

• DMC and Andy emphasize the lasting impact of books in a world of fleeting digital content:

  “With TikTok...that thing’s gone, right? Two days later, it’s gone. This [a book] is forever.” (22:17, Andy Simmons)
  “Books are eternal.” (23:15, DMC)

• Books are both universal and personal; they ignite imagination more deeply than movies or music alone.

• DMC references his love for comic books and their role in educating and inspiring him—Marvel’s use of New York City grounded superheroes in reality (24:11).

---

6. Comic Books, Identity, and Lifelong Learning

• DMC still creates comics (his “DMC” comic series), viewing them—and all books—as tools for representation, relatability, and confronting adversity (26:32).
• Superheroes taught him that knowledge and education are inherent to greatness, and that even “geeky kids” face struggles and grow to be resilient.
• Books, he remarks, can inform, comfort, and inspire self-acceptance, especially for children feeling marginalized (34:00–34:51).

  “Don’t ever let anybody put you down for who you are or what your culture’s about, because everything about you is beautiful.” (34:30, DMC)

---

7. The Creative & Collaborative Process

• DMC demystifies children’s book creation:

  “I didn’t know it was so much work to do a book. I thought you write the whole thing and one person does it… But no, you come up with the idea… You get the artist, you get the illustrator… then you gotta ink it, and you gotta color it…” (36:38, DMC)

• He envisions a classroom model where kids write, draw, color, and manage books as a team, highlighting that there’s a role for every talent (38:46).

• Collaboration with co-writers and illustrator Tristan Tate is praised for bringing the story to vibrant life.

---

8. Lifelong Creativity—From Music to Books

• DMC’s artistry—from journaling and poetry as a kid, to storytelling and music (influenced by hip-hop’s rise)—all strengthen his role as an author (41:41–43:47).
• Imagination, he argues, when combined with knowledge, creates real success:

  “Albert Einstein says this… Imagination is more important than knowledge, because when you put that imagination with the knowledge, then you have success.” (39:36, DMC)

---

9. Empowering Every Child

• DMC drills in that his story mirrors that of the kids he meets:

  “They see the guy that my grandfather goes crazy for—he started just like me… You mean you got teased, bullied too, and now you…? Yes.” (46:26–47:27, DMC)

• The lessons are universal, reaching kids and adults, emphasizing self-belief, the value of sharing, celebrating your culture, and that everyone can succeed in their unique way.

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “I didn't wear [glasses] to be cool… I wore them so I could see. I didn't wear them to be famous. Other kids teased me because they thought I was less of a person… But I wasn't ashamed of that. I wrote a rhyme about it and shouted in everybody's face.” (34:51, DMC)
• “If you give without expecting anything in return, you still get what you need.” (12:13, DMC)
• “I want to do things that knock down the walls that divide us the same way Steven Tyler knocked down the wall in the Walk This Way video.” (15:11, DMC)
• “Books are eternal.” (23:15, DMC)
• “Darryl’s Christmas in Hollis will show you the power of love and generosity.” (52:55, DMC)
• "I always tell kids, what is it that you like to do? I want to be a singer—who's your favorite singer? Get the book about them and read it." (50:55, DMC)

---

Important Timestamps for Easy Navigation

• 00:30 — DMC joins, recounts previous night’s performance
• 01:24 — DMC explains why he writes children’s books
• 04:24 — How he connects with young audiences
• 12:05 — The real story inspiring the book: giving away his bicycle
• 14:41 — Inclusive approach: Celebrating all cultural traditions in the book
• 22:16 — Books vs. digital culture; why books last
• 24:11 — DMC’s love of comics and their positive influence
• 34:00 — Message of self-acceptance, illustrated through his glasses story
• 36:38 — The process of making a children’s book
• 46:26 — The “if I can do it, you can do it” theme for kids
• 52:55 — DMC’s summary: “the power of love and generosity”
• 53:21 — Book release and signing info

---

Tone and Style

Throughout, DMC is energetic, candid, and engaging—mixing humor, vivid storytelling, and approachable wisdom. Andy Simmons maintains the tone of an enthusiastic reader, educator, and publishing champion, keeping the conversation lively while steering towards literary values and practical takeaways.

---

Final Takeaways

• Darryl’s Christmas in Hollis is not just a holiday book—it's a vibrant lesson in generosity, self-worth, and diversity, crafted for children but resonant for adults.
• DMC’s journey highlights the power of embracing your story, channeling creativity, and lifting others by sharing art that reflects real, shared human experiences.
• Both DMC and Andy passionately encourage reading, creativity, and authentic self-expression in children and adults alike.

---

For further information or to order Darryl’s Christmas in Hollis, visit bluebloombooks.com or look for upcoming signings at bookstores and airports.

---

Transcript

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

Foreign.

[Andy Simmons]

Welcome to another episode of Ballast Book launch. I'm Andy Simmons, the president, publisher of Ballast and Blue Bloom books. And we have a good one for you today. Sitting here in the. In the chair next to me. Look, in the past, we've had Navy seals, we've had astronauts, we've had world renowned photographers, but we've never had the camera A rock today. Daryl. DMC McDaniels, run DMC. Welcome to the podcast.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

Thank you for having me. This is so cool.

[Andy Simmons]

Thanks for coming down. Dee flew down this morning. You had a what? You had a show last night.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

Performed last night with Tom Morello at Irving Plaza in New York City. It was amazing.

[Andy Simmons]

I can't imagine.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

So we're definitely going to do some more shows together. It was phenomenal.

[Andy Simmons]

What'd you sing with Tom?

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

We did King of Rocks. Speaking of King of Rock. We do. Because that's his favorite. He says king of Rock. And we did. It's tricky, of course, that you got to do.

[Andy Simmons]

Tricky.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

Yeah. We're so amazing.

[Andy Simmons]

Well, it's almost. It's. It is time for Christmas time in Hollis.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

So.

[Andy Simmons]

Yes, you got to start. You got to start doing that again.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

Exactly. Y. Definitely.

[Andy Simmons]

And so that was the impetus of the book. Let's. Let's get into it. Let's talk about the book Daryl's Christmas and Hollis. This is the book right here. This is actually Daryl's second children's book that. That we've done together. And it's just been such an honor, such a great story message and. And we'll get into that. But let's start with why children's books?

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

Well, it started when I was being invited to speak at schools. I started speaking at elementary schools, and the two educators, the two teachers who are now principals in their districts, Shonee and Johnny Warfield, invited me to the school to speak. And when I go into the elementary schools, you know, I don't go in and say, hi, kids, kids. I'm the first rapper. No, I going in, I'm like, yo, what's up, y'?

[Andy Simmons]

All?

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

My name is Darren McDaniel. Boom boom. You know, I speak to them like people.

[Andy Simmons]

Yeah.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

And she said, they responded so good. So they brought me back a second year, and then on the third year, they brought me back. They was like, you should do a book. And at first I was like, nah, I don't want to do a book. Whatever. And he was saying, no, you can do a book. You can read so many kids without having to actually be there. I was like, okay, cool. Here's the deal. You do the book with me because I like doing collaborations. Run DMC and Aerosmith Walked His Way. Run DMC and Adidas. My Adidas. So they was like, yeah, we was in. But basically did the book to do what I've been doing with my music for over 43 years. And if you ask, what's that? Inspire, motivate, educate, while you entertain. Because the kids, now, they need something that speaks directly to them. Now, all the classic stories are amazing. Charlie Brown, Christmas, how the Grinch Stole that. But the kids of the past 40 generations that I've been around since I was a kid, they don't have nothing that's defined by their culture, even though there's many cultures, cultures in it. You know, you got Indian, you got Asian, you got African, you got Latino and all of that. Our generations of the past 40 years don't have characters or stories that are from where they are from. So I was like, you know what? The teachers are like, yo, just tell stories of what you've been through as a kid, Daryl, you've been around a long time. And I was like, okay, you think those things would be relevant? And they said, yeah. So it's actually the same. Same thing I've been doing with my music, I can now do with a book. And the beautiful thing about a book is it's a 3D, maybe 4D experience. They see it, they hold it, it's 4D, they read it and they experience the emotions.

[Andy Simmons]

Absolutely.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

So I was like, okay, if I can do with a book what I've been doing with my music. And at the same time as, you know, to get more kids to read.

[Andy Simmons]

Exactly. You know, so important for them in early stages of life.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

Exactly.

[Andy Simmons]

And if they can, you know, you want to almost like Trojan Horse, the message is in there to them, it's entertaining to them. And they're. And, and we'll definitely get in the message because the message of the book is. Is absolutely amazing. It's universal.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

Yes.

[Andy Simmons]

And. But you know, you wonder. The kids, they're going to be learning, they're going to be entertained, but they're also going to learn a lot about kindness and amazing lessons. A lesson at the end of the book.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

And you know, and kids are kids. Kids are wonderful. Like, it's the adults that are mean, but the kids, you know, you get at the bottom base level, the kids are here, you want some, you want to share. But along the way, they pick up the bad habits. So in order for me to relate to the kids, okay, he's the. Even if they don't know Run dmc, like the mothers, fathers, and I've been around so long. The grandmothers and grandfathers, even if they don't know Run dmc, they know my music from video games, movies, and TikTok, for instance. So when I connect with the kids, oh, you're the man that made the tricky song. I'm not DMC for NDMC. I'm DMC the it's tricky TikTok man. Or DMC the it's tricky Sonic to Hedgehog movies. But then when I connect with him, how do I connect with kids? Kindergarten and sixth grade, I got to tell stories about when I was in the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth grade. So that was the brilliant thing that, you know, the. The way we came up to. For me to relate to the kids.

[Andy Simmons]

Yeah, what are. What is it you mentioned before? The way you come in and you talk to the kids like a person, you know, Pedro, you come in and talk to them. What is their reaction when you come in there? How do they.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

They want that so bad? Cause, you know, when you look at movies and TV shows and, you know, the TV shows, the sitcoms or what the movies, they'll do it funny. They'll have the older professor or the principal or the police or the politician come in, and they show the kids looking at them like, right, okay. But when I come in and speak to them as people, they respond much better. And then when you open up for Q and A with the kids, because I like to read the book to the kids, then I open up for Q and A, you know, with the older kids are funny. The high school to college kids, you could talk to them about something really serious. You know what I'm saying? And then when it's Q and A time, do you know Justin Bieber? Do you know Taylor Swift? You know, rightfully so. But with the kids by two talking to them like they're people, they respond with, how did you feel when you got teased and bullied? How did you feel? Because they have an opinion. How did you feel when your mother told you you have to go to bed and you can't stay up to watch the movie because you got school in the morning? So you get honesty from the kids, and with honesty, you get understanding. So, you know, I'm 61 years old, so when I first walked in there, they look at me and they say, oh, my God, you're old. I said, no, I'm not old. I'm classic. But then when I speak to them as people. They respond respectfully as people.

[Andy Simmons]

And you're so animated and exude cool. Even at 61, they have to know, like, yeah, that guy's cool. Even though who Run DMC is like that guy. You know, I remember with Daryl's dream, the way you read the book.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

Yeah. I mean, yeah.

[Andy Simmons]

I don't know anybody that reads a kid's book better than you did.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

Right, Exactly.

[Andy Simmons]

So they have to respond and react.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

And when they see that, Peaches, they look at. I've never seen Ms. McGillicuddy act like this. Who is this guy?

[Andy Simmons]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

And then when I speak to them and read the book, they say, oh, okay. I could see why you like this guy.

[Andy Simmons]

Yeah. So that's great. And you obviously have such a passion for it, for helping.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

Well, I mean, it's crazy that I'm doing books because that's all I loved as a kid.

[Andy Simmons]

Yeah.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

I mean, I remember all the books. For me, that changed my life, there was a book about a dog horse called Rigsby or Rigsby. Rigsby or Rigsby. I remember that book. Charlotte's Web Sounder, of course, all the Dr. Seuss books. You know what I'm saying? So there was books that impacted my life. So I'm like, yo, if I could create a book from me for my generations and cultures, you know what I'm saying? I think it could have. It'll make existing in this universe and growing up cool.

[Andy Simmons]

Yeah. And existing together. And that's. What about. So you talked a little bit about bullying. How did you. How did you grow up? You grew up, obviously, in Hollis.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

Yeah. Went to Catholic school.

[Andy Simmons]

Yeah. Okay.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

So I can relate to the scene in the Blues Brothers when they go back to the nun to start the mission. She pulls out the yardstick. Everybody I went to Catholic school. Could relate to that.

[Andy Simmons]

Yeah. How?

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

And none of those.

[Andy Simmons]

My kids go now. They don't hit them with rulers anymore.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

Yeah. No more. But back then, oh, my God. When I saw that in the Blues Brothers, I was like, oh, my God. I had a flashback. But I went to Catholic school because I was always reading. Like, it wasn't that I wanted to be Mr. Smarty Pants and know it all. I used to love. I not used to. I loved comic books growing up.

[Andy Simmons]

Yeah. We haven't talked, and I still love them.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

So in. In kindergarten, when I got my first comic book, it was the artwork that was attractive to me. And the books that we do are so well done.

[Andy Simmons]

The illustrations are amazing.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

Shout out to Tristan Tate straight out of Australia from the land down under. I mean, the first thing that happens when we give them the books that we make even a Daryl's dream book. Oh, my God. Everybody says that. Oh, my God, this is beautiful. The art is so well done. But when I saw my first comic book, it was the artwork that connected with me. And then, you know, even in kindergarten, even though I didn't read, I went through the whole book, and it was just that it was, like I said, it was a sensory explosion, emotional explosion. So when I got in first grade, my mission was this. I'm going to pay attention every day so I could understand what Tony Starks and Peter Parker and Bruce Wayne is talking about. So the fact that I was reading, and that's why I'm so happy doing books to get, you know, video games is cool and all that stuff, but books are amazing. So I was a little kid, went to Catholic school, growing up, loving comic books. And I just loved to read, read, read, read. And because I was a. Because I loved to read, made me a good student. So I was that kid. But, you know, at the same time, I wasn't, you know, athletic kid. Oh, he's a corny, geeky nerd kid that's, you know, reading books and reading comic books and stuff like that. But it paid off for me later on when it's time to get on the microphone. So, like every kid, you get teased, bullied, and picked on because you're you. But I wanted to change that to show kids we all come from different cultures, different places, different races, but at the end of the day, all of our differences is what makes us special together.

[Andy Simmons]

And that's what. What Darrell's Christmas in Hollis is all about. So why don't you talk a little bit? I mean, that's. I was going to ask you for the inspiration, but that sounds like the inspiration. Inspiration.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

Yeah. The song, obviously, the song was, you know, this goes a little Deeper. You know, the song was Christmas Time in Hollis. Everybody could relate to that. But this goes to more of an actual situation of what's happening, you know, in the house. I wanted to. When I was growing up, it was the Apollo 5 speaker that everybody.

[Andy Simmons]

I was wondering. I want to know how much of a true story is this?

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

Yeah, but we changed the ring. Yeah. We changed the name here. Yeah. But growing up, I wanted this Apollo 5 speed bicycle. And, you know, my parents were very, very given and stuff like that. So the year that I was supposed to get it, I said, no, Mommy, give my bike to somebody else.

[Andy Simmons]

Wow. What age, bro?

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

I was probably 10.

[Andy Simmons]

Okay, maybe. And so this bike that you wanted

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

more than anything, you know, I started seeing that Christmas you could be Santa Claus. Because, you know, when you're little, it's Santa Claus. Santa Claus. But then you see people buying gifts and doing stuff for other people, and I was like, yo, that's kind of cool, you know, and since I was a comic book kid, it was very superheroic. Yeah. So I was like, mommy, give my bike to this some other kid. And he was like, okay. You know, they said, okay, we'll do that. But then at Christmas, I still got my bike, too. So it taught me that if you give, you know, and I wasn't expecting. If you give without expecting anything in return, you still get what. You know what I'm saying?

[Andy Simmons]

And that can be more rewarding than.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

And that's more rewarding. Yeah. Because my father, my older brother Alfred was like, what? No, shoot, he ain't get my bike away. Because he wanted the 10 speed. Because he was an older kid, you know what I'm saying? He wanted the 10 speed with the curled handlebars, you know, the ball, you know, the back in the day bikes. You know what I'm saying? So it was just seeing things that. Seeing things that I was experiencing in pop culture. Like, I wanted to take my household and make sure that it could relate to every demographic, every. You know, whether it's Asian, whether it's Puerto Rican, we all go through the same things. So I wanted to tell a story that everybody could relate to that's related to my song Christmas in Hollis. But then I realized something. Well, this is actually Shoni and Johnny. She was said, let's create a story where. Because everybody celebrates holidays and traditions differently, but at the end of the day, it's the same meaning. So. So since they're teachers, you know, they deal with all of these kids, the Indian kids, the Asian kids, African kids, they said, let's put their celebrations in there, too. So this book is actually kind of like a mix that Rest in Peace, Jam Master Jay would do, because remember, hip hop, we took rock, blues, jazz, R and B, punk, funk and disco, and we gave it to presentation that everybody could relate to. So, like I said earlier, it was brilliant that Shawnee and Johnny was like, you can do with a book everything you were doing with your music. So we wanted to include the celebrations and traditions of other cultures because all these kids are in the same classrooms, they're in the same lunchrooms, they're in the same school.

[Andy Simmons]

Kwanzaa Christmas Eve.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

Exactly. So if the kids don't talk about it themselves, here's what my family does. When these kids read this book, they see themselves and they see their celebrations and their cultures being put up on a platform and saluted too. So they can say, oh, okay, I get it. So, you know, I want to do things that knock down the walls that divide us the same way Steven Tyler knocked down the wall in the Walk this Way video. So when you show every kid characteristics and presence of who they are, at the end of the day, when these kids sit down and have discussions about their differences, it enhances what's unique about diversity. You know, diversity isn't. Mine's is better than yours and yours is better than mine. Diversity is. Yo, we do the same things too. You know what I'm saying?

[Andy Simmons]

Y. And the way that you were able to weave multiple messages into this book was. Was really genius. It's what you talked about like, like with early hip hop, all the different types. Types of music. I mean, you, like you said, you have. You talk. You. You. And it's really smart the way you do it, you know? So Daryl's putting on different glasses.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

Well, Shawn and Johnny Warfield came up with that cuz we wanted people to see what we was talking.

[Andy Simmons]

Puts him in. You know, it puts him at the house where they're spinning the Dr. Lighting the candle for Hanukkah, and then he' House for eat and for Kwanzaa.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

Exactly.

[Andy Simmons]

But then you don't even. So you have that great message with kids experiencing different cultures.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

Yeah.

[Andy Simmons]

But then you. Then there's this great story about giving away the bike, which is right when

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

he sees the other family and it's like, yo, how. What. Why that family don't have what I have?

[Andy Simmons]

Yeah.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

And then he realizes the only reason why he doesn't have it is because nobody's giving it to him.

[Andy Simmons]

Right.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

You know what I'm saying? And like I said earlier, kids will share everything in a minute. It's along the way that they learned. No, you don't do that. You don't share where you don't talk to people.

[Andy Simmons]

Yeah.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

You know what I'm saying?

[Andy Simmons]

And you know, as someone with young kids, that message, you know, that, that, that Daryl ha. You know, the, the lesson that he learns about that family. You're always trying to make your kids understand that, hey, we're very fortunate people. A lot less fortunate does. So I, I think a lot of kids that will read this, they might. Well, well, Mommy, why doesn't that Family have something and hopefully they learn at the end. Hey, giving is, can be much better than receiving the lesson that they.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

Yeah, 100. And like you said, the way we set it up in the book is organic.

[Andy Simmons]

It is.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

You know, you go from one situation right into the other. And that's the beautiful thing that we came up with. Because in our world, it's our families, our friends, our careers, the people around and jobs. For the kids, it's the same thing, except their world is their households, their backyards, their streets, their blocks and their schoolyards and lunchrooms. So everything that we get, you know, when we get nervous, when we get anxiety, you know, we get up and down, you know what I'm saying? All of that, it starts when we was little.

[Andy Simmons]

You know, I, my five year old will come home and she'll be really upset about something that happened in her little tiny class. And part of your first instinct is like, you know, to laugh. It's like, oh, that's so, so minor. And then you realize, well, it's not minor to her.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

That's her whole world and vice versa. She could see you come home from a bad day at work and know something's wrong with daddy. So we want the kids to understand that their feelings are okay to have and their emotions are okay to have, you know, because you don't want the kids, especially with the whole mental health thing, you know, so you don't want the kids to go into these situations and continue to carry the experience with them to where they say, like, you know, when they experience anxiety in school and there's no situations or stories or characters or people around for them to relate to. When they get 16 or 17 and it comes again, they'll think something's wrong and then they'll reach out to substances and they'll self abuse or beat other people up. You know what I'm saying? So if you teach them that, what this book shows is it shows them everything that they're already doing. Yeah, it's not me like teaching them Christmas is supposed to be this way and this. And you know, I'm saying, no Kwanzaa, Christmas, Eid, whatever, it is a sure celebration. But then they'll say, oh, it's the same thing that we do. You share, you be good, you be kind, you care about other people. And then at the end of the day, your relatives and friends come over and you eat.

[Andy Simmons]

Y.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

You know what I'm saying?

[Andy Simmons]

Yeah. And you know, going back to the message of, of secondary and tertiary messages. Right? Because it's not only that they're going to recognize, oh, hey, you know, that's how I celebrate. But they also get to see. Oh, that's how Johnny celebrates too. Oh, that's why, you know, he wears a yamaka and he. And so that's the way they do

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

it, their dress and that's their music. But it's still. At the end of the day, it's still closed. It's still. Still food and it's still music.

[Andy Simmons]

I love the way you tie in food in there. Right? Everyone. You talk about the food. In the end, everybody is tied by food and in their own tradition.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

Exactly. It's so cool.

[Andy Simmons]

So. Yeah.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

Because even for me, it's funny, even for me, I can't go to the mall during the holidays because Jewish people, Jamaican people, Asian people, d. Guess what we're going home to listen to Christmas time in Holland Queensland. Mom's cooking chicken and collard greens. You know what I'm saying? And it's not the actual food. It's the fact that it's food so they can relate to it.

[Andy Simmons]

Yeah. And that's. That's proof you experience it firsthand. Firsthand again. This is why I think you're uniquely qualified to do a book like this, because you do cross. You know, your music crosses race and background.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

Like the crossover of crossovers.

[Andy Simmons]

You were doing it. You, you know, talk about, you know, with. With Aerosmith. I mean, that. Who was doing that back then? Nobody. I remember that when I was a kid, I was like, whoa, CU already listening to Aerosmith. I kind of knew who Run DMC was once I saw that video.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

And you saw us together, which was so cool, man.

[Andy Simmons]

That's my new jam right now.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

Y. Exactly. Exactly. So, I mean, it's very important, too, because I also see that, like you just said, you astronauts, Navy seals, and stuff like that. It's also important for people in all walks of life to write books.

[Andy Simmons]

Yeah.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

So that the generations below us or the up and coming generations can have access to that information. Because you said astronaut. You know, even in al. When we was little, most. I want to be an astronaut. I want to be a professor. I want to be an athlete or so. So it's important to write news stories that these children can relate to.

[Andy Simmons]

Yeah. I mean, look, obviously I'm biased. I'm an author and a book publisher. That books are the most important thing. Thing in my household. I was the same as you growing up from a young age. I read voraciously from, you know, a very, very early Age.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

Yeah. I would go to the store and remember. You want a toy? No, I want a book.

[Andy Simmons]

Yeah. Yeah. The library for me was just.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

Oh, yeah.

[Andy Simmons]

That was the, the greatest place you could go.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

Yeah. Big shout out to all the librarians. Librarians. A gangster. They love when I say that. Yes, we are. They are.

[Andy Simmons]

Yes, they are. We'll make sure we get Daryl's Christmas and Hall Stockton in a lot of libraries.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

Yes, yes.

[Andy Simmons]

But there is, you know, talking about the medium of books. There is something. It has staying power. So like, you know, tick tock. You know, okay, put a video on Tick tock and you can educate a kid on something. A great lesson on tick tock. But that thing's gone, right?

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

Yes.

[Andy Simmons]

Two days later it's gone, right. This, this is forever. Forever. These.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

Yes.

[Andy Simmons]

We still, you know, we all still have books from when we were.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

Oh, for sure.

[Andy Simmons]

My kids are going to have their books and they're going to give them to their kids.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

Yep.

[Andy Simmons]

There's something about.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

Pass them down.

[Andy Simmons]

There's something about this medium that is just.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

It's so, it's so different because even though it's a universal, it's a universal and a personal experience at the same time.

[Andy Simmons]

Yeah.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

And you don't get that. It's like, you know, like you said on TikTok, you get the music, it's on, then it's on to the next thing.

[Andy Simmons]

Yeah. And, and, and with, with that, with those mediums, they're giving you all the senses. They're giving you the site. This time you're not using a book is the purpose. Perfect mix of giving you, giving your brain something to. But now you have to start using your imagination. You have to start picturing it. So your, your brain is working too. That's. I mean, think about it. CDs, they lasted 20 years. Records, they lasted 20 years. We still have music, but it's in different forms. Books have been around for.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

It's eternal.

[Andy Simmons]

This, this is the medium that will never die, at least.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

Well, yeah, it's crazy. I mean, vinyl's making a little comeback. CDs, cassette books have been around forever. If technology ends tomorrow, we scout the

[Andy Simmons]

books and that's all I need.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

Yeah, I always say that. We always say that about the superhero movies that are all the thing now in Hollywood now. You know, the real geeks and nerds said, yeah, you know, the movies are cool, but we had the comics, we had the actual book and you can always go back to them.

[Andy Simmons]

I still have a box of my. I did like punisher and all. I still have all those comics.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

Books say books are eternal.

[Andy Simmons]

Yeah. What do you read? What type of stuff do you read today?

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

Well, right now I'm working on my next volume of my comic book.

[Andy Simmons]

Tell us about the comic book.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

Oh, DMC Darrell makes comic books. Stan Lee was like a God to me because DC was cool. Like I said, I read, read, read dc. I used to read collect draw. Read collect draw. Started with this tracing paper. But then it got to the point where by second grade, I could just look at the COVID of Darryl's Christmas in Hollis and draw it myself. Because with the tracing paper, you're actually going through the motions of it.

[Andy Simmons]

Yeah.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

So when you pull a paper where you can still, you know, it's like muscle memory. But Stan Lee was brilliant. Here's why. Books are important in all shapes, forms and fashions. DC was cool, but Gotham and Metropolis was trying to be New York. Stan Lee was like, yo, I'm just put the superheroes in New York. So without leaving my room, where you live every time. Yeah, I lived in it, but I couldn't leave the block. But without leaving my room in my block, every time I opened up a Marvel comic book, I learned about the place. I lived in Hell's Kitchen. Lower east side, Harlem, Midtown Manhattan. Like, Stan Lee gave me a geographical lesson, social studies lessons of the world that I lived in. So I saw the power in books of how you could tell stories and reach people where they're at. You know, movies are cool. Like all other kids that used to go to the movies and stuff like that. He said, no, I'm good. I got my book, you know what I'm saying? And when I met San Lee, he said, well, that's the reason I really created the comic books to give you met. Like the X Men is about bigotry and hatred and racism. Like, every character had a theme. You know, Peter Parker blew my mind because nobody wanted a kid superhero. Stan Lee didn't believe that, so he created Spider Man. And look, Spider man is one of the. And here's what's crazy. People forget this. Most superheroes are more educated. Dr. Bruce Banner is the Hulk. Tony Starks. Educated Reed Richard, Spider man smarter than Tony Starks. You know what I'm saying?

[Andy Simmons]

Interesting. I never thought of that.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

So. Yeah, right. Ah, I didn't find that out until I started going to comic cons.

[Andy Simmons]

But you probably somehow subconsciously knew it growing up.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

You place.

[Andy Simmons]

And I think you know, from what I know of you, your. Your parents place a strong emphasis on education.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

Oh, 100%.

[Andy Simmons]

Just reading those comics, you probably realize, hey, yeah, Tony Stark, he's educated.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

He's a scientist. Yeah, he didn't just make that suit up. He had to learn and study and stuff like that. So with the comic book, it was just. It was just another form of a book that was exciting to me. And also with this book, like, even in the Daryl's dream book, you see DMs young Darryl, young DMC is always up against some adversity. So the kids gotta understand there's always gonna be obstacles and it's always gonna be struggles, like, even in this situation. But. And you can persevere. So when you think about superheroes, they all smart, but they're all geeky, nerdy and awkward. And most superheroes had some traumatic or hard event in their lives. So when I was reading these comic books, it was like they was talking about me.

[Andy Simmons]

Yeah, you can relate.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

And even if, you know, even growing up, it was like, all my friends, they would go see the Superfly and Shaft and all the blaxploitation films and stuff like that. My parents wasn't letting me go see that stuff. But even to me, it was more powerful that, you know, I'm looking at this guy called Captain America, and you got the civil rights movement, all the racist stuff that. Racism stuff that you still seeing the news and in the media. But the coolest thing, one day I pick it up and Captain America got a cool black friend called the Falcon from Harlem. So it's showing me a world where all of the stuff that people are living out here, it doesn't have to be. So for me, I wanted to create the comic book because I was a superhero fan. But at the same time, I wanted to motivate, educate, and inspire while I entertain. Just like my music and a lot of the kids. I was doing a reading with the first book, Darryl's Dream. Third graders in the Bronx, and I just read this story, open up for Q and A. One kid asked me, DMC, Mr. DMC. Because I'm older now. He goes, Mr. DMC, why you didn't call Daryl's rap? Because it's a rap. That's a Christmas rap at the end of this book, too. I like to put little raps at the end of the books. So he asked me why I didn't call the rap, my poem in the first book, a rap. And I said, because hip hop didn't exist then. And he said he thought about the story. So he was like, so your poem that you said became one of the raps on your records. Yes.

[Andy Simmons]

You got it.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

So. So it teaches them, you know. You know how when you was little and you would love to get a magnifying glass and go around the yawn and stuff like that. Whatever I want to. I want these kids to do. Whatever they. Whatever you're doing that kids don't think is cool is actually the most powerful thing that you can do. So you think about kids, oh, I don't like you because you're Jewish, or I don't like you because you're African. When they read this book. Book, they'll realize, why in the world are these people fighting? And we do the same things. So like you said, it's a way of subconsciously, without telling them, you need to do this. You let them experience it themselves. So started with the comic books, and then when I met Shauna and Johnny Warfield, their whole lives is books. And, you know, I got an advantage with them teachers who are now principals. Their whole thing was my music did to me what these books can do for these kids. You know what I'm saying? You know, when I rapped, I'm DMC in the place to be. I go to St. John's University. You know, Shani and Johnny Warfield was like, oh, so school is cool. I'm gonna go be a teacher.

[Andy Simmons]

Yeah. And that's what I say. I can just see the light bulb going off. And that kid who asked that question said, wait a minute. So the poem was a rap. So they think rapping's cool. They think rappers are cool. But now they realize, hey, those are. That's. That's just music to poetry.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

Yes.

[Andy Simmons]

Right. So now, oh, poetry writing is cool. Education is great.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

Exactly.

[Andy Simmons]

And, you know, kids are. Kids are so smart, and they're making these leaps without even realizing.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

That's right. That's the beauty of a book.

[Andy Simmons]

Yeah.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

That's the beauty. But, like, even in Charlotte's Web, I remember when I got to the point where the. The spiders died or Charlotte died.

[Andy Simmons]

Yeah.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

When I got to scary kids. Yeah. But it made you understand life and death and stuff like that. You know what I'm saying?

[Andy Simmons]

Yeah. Back then, they were a lot darker. I mean, you talk about Batman's parents murdered in the streets.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

Yes, man. Whoa. Yes.

[Andy Simmons]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

I remember sound. And when sounded sound, I got shot. I was like, what? Yeah, yeah, you funny. Back then, it was so darker. Yep.

[Andy Simmons]

And. But so you are still able to address those, Like a homeless family. I mean, you're able to address Things like that. But you do in such a. A kind way, right?

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

Because, you know, the kids hear it on the news every day, but homeless this, homeless in la, this and that. Boom, baby. The way that I did it lets the kids know. And, you know, the kids see it now. Yeah. Now they know they can do something about it.

[Andy Simmons]

Right? Yep. Yeah. Again, there's just so many. So many lessons packed into a 32 page.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

You know, it's funny, most all adults say, man, this book's for me. It's teaching me something.

[Andy Simmons]

It's true. Yeah. You know, you talk about, you know, when kids know, the sharing. Somehow kids lose that when they're. But these are the. They're all these universal values that we're all taught at a young age and that sometimes people lose them. So that you're right. Like, you know, I read to all my kids before they go to bed every single night. And you learn lessons from these kids books. It's. It's a good reminder of like, just these universal, basic human values.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

And you know what's funny about that? That's why the kids always say, daddy, can you read to me again tonight? Because every night they get something confirmed.

[Andy Simmons]

Yes.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

Or they learn something.

[Andy Simmons]

And that's why they can read it the same one over and over, because they pick up something new every single. Every single time. What's the process?

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

Excuse me. With the first book, everybody said, yo, my kids still makes me read the first book. So, you know, it's not even going to be Christmas and kids gonna be still reading this book every night.

[Andy Simmons]

Yeah, that's what. You know, I'm glad you said that because that's what's interesting. So, yes, it's, you know, Christmas in Hollis, but it isn't just a Christmas book at all.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

Right?

[Andy Simmons]

It's a. It's a life lessons.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

100%. Yeah. For sure. Yeah. 100%. You know, just the fact that you got to go to the eye doctor. Right. You know, I remember Ms. Peterson, my second grade teacher. You know, I'm busy being, you know, in the second grade. Mother comes pick me up, you know, so I'm just standing there, and it's beautiful the way Ms. Peterson didn't hesitate. She said, Ms. McDaniels, I need to talk to you about Darrow. I think there's something wrong with him. So you know me. I'm like, what? You know me. I'm saying, what are you talking about? What's wrong with him? What's going on? And all she says was, I think he might need Glasses. Cause I see him squinting. And Ms. McDaniels, my mother goes, thank you so much, Ms. Peterson. She took me to the eye doctor. And that's the thing that got me

[Andy Simmons]

wearing glasses and the famous glasses, too.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

How old were you?

[Andy Simmons]

That was second grade. Second grade?

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

Yeah. That was in second grade. Ever since I was wearing glasses. So it's crazy with the kids. I say, don't never let anybody put you down for who you are or what your culture's about, because everything about you is beautiful. Where you from, you know, Especially with all the immigrants and this whole. You know what I'm saying? You know, the kids sitting in class, you know, there's something wrong with me because I come from another country and I want to be here. And they're calling me this word, an immigrant. But when they read this book, they're going to read the kids. Kids here already. And the kids coming over, gonna realize we got everything in common.

[Andy Simmons]

Yeah.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

So I don't want them to be ashamed of who they are. And I tell them your story of. Of who you are right now in second, third, fourth grade. You're still going to be that person when you grow up. And I tell them, I still need glasses. I just don't have them now. But I wear contacts.

[Andy Simmons]

I was going to ask you, because

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

since I've known you, I wear contacts. So the kids is like. And I asked her, what are contacts? And kids will put their hand up the lenses you put directly on your eye. So I said I had this rhyme that goes. Ds for doing it all of the time. Ms. for the rhymes that are on mine. Cs for cool, cool ass can be. And my partner run would ask me, why you wear those glasses? And I would shout to the world so I could see. I didn't wear them to be cool. I didn't wear them to be famous. Other kids teased me because they thought I was less of a person because I needed help to see. But I wasn't ashamed of that. I wrote a rhyme about it and shouted in everybody's face. And then I said, I'm still Darryl from the book. What do you mean? I can say to. And I say to them, d's for doing it all of the time. M's for the rhymes that are all mine. C's for cool, cool ass can be. And I asked him, why do I wear contacts? And they go, so you can see. But then I hit him with this. What letter does the word contact start with? C. And I go, c, see? Oh, so I don't want them to be ashamed of who they are. Immigrant, You're Mexico or you come from India, whatever you are, we're all perfect together. Hip hop and rock and roll, in music, in books, Anything that's creative and artistic and, you know, the illustrating, those are the things that bring us together. And those are the things that can help us understand. Understand who we are as ourselves and other. Understand other people. And that was the whole thing with the Christmas and Hollis to Christmas and Hollis is just a situation or a scenario that we can use to tell a universal story.

[Andy Simmons]

Yeah, yeah. So I want to talk a little bit about the process for any book. So you obviously had your co writers, you had Tristan, who is the illustrator.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

You worked with us.

[Andy Simmons]

You worked with Blue Balloon Books.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

I didn't know it was so much to work to do a book. I thought you did. Growing up, you just think, yo, you write the whole thing and one person does it. No, no, you come up with the idea for the book. You get your story, you create your characters. Then we come to y' all and say, what do you think about this? And then y' all help us make sense of it. You know, it's called editing.

[Andy Simmons]

Yeah.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

Put it in a form, and then you gotta get the printer, you got to print the books. You got to get a colorist. Well, you get the artist, you get the illustrator, and an illustrator draws it. But then you still got to ink it and you got to color it. Like, I want the kids to understand, this was an amazing experience doing these books the same way. It was an amazing, amazing experience learning music. Like, you know, growing up, you hear a song on the radio, you think it all happens at once. Yeah, no, the band makes the song, but then the guy got a mix it, and then you got the tracks, and then you gotta press it, like, the whole thing. So with this book, I learned the whole process is it starts with the idea, then it starts with writing it, and then you go to somebody to help you make the writing make sense. And then you gotta print the thing, and then you gotta illustrate it. But even when you got to illustrate, you gotta color it. So there was so many steps. And that's what I would mean by motivate, educate, and inspire while you entertain. I want kids to understand that in every thing that exists on the earth, there's many career opportunities. Like, you know, when you look at sports, everybody wants to be the athlete. I want to be the athlete. But you still need managers, you still need agents, you still need commentators. You know what I'm saying. So with this book, I want kids to understand. You could be the writer. You can write the book, and your friend in your classroom who draws can draw it. You know what I'm saying? And then your other friend, who's very smart and, you know, with literature and math and stuff, he could. He or she could be the accountant for the company.

[Andy Simmons]

Somebody's got a market.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

Right, And. Exactly. So I learned through that, just like I learned with music. There's so many opportunities for our young people, especially if they're thinking what they do as a creator or what their imagination inspires them to want to be. There's always a place for you, so you don't have to change who you are to be successful.

[Andy Simmons]

Do they see all the things that you've done? I mean, we talked about cookies, comic books. Oh, yeah. Your music.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

Yeah.

[Andy Simmons]

Your. Your children's books.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

Yeah. The Adidas thing.

[Andy Simmons]

Yeah, actually. Yeah, keep going. We got. I mean, there's. There's so many. But do they see all those things and say, hey, I. I can do all that? Especially because you do so much in New York.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

Reese, this.

[Andy Simmons]

This guy's from my neighborhood. Look at all the stuff he's done. I can do it.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

Yes. I mean, especially Hollis Queen, Queens. That's a borough in New York City. Oh, I know that place. You mean you can do what everybody. It's crazy. Kids don't know. They can do above and beyond what everybody else is doing, which is crazy. And that's how I was inspired by the. The DJs, the MCs, and rappers and the breakdancers and the graffiti artists before me, you know, because for me, it was like when hip hop came, it was like the superheroes jumped off the pages and all the art and the style and the suits came to life. So it brought. It allows you. Albert Einstein says this, and it's a quote. He didn't say knowledge wasn't important. He said imagination is more important than knowledge, because when you put that imagination with the knowledge, then you have success. So let the kids think and have that imagination, but then give them a book to read. Let them read. Let them experience something. Let them learn something and watch what happens.

[Andy Simmons]

How and when did you start taking your love of art? Because that's what it is with comic books and books as a kid. That's. That's art. How'd you. How did you start doing. Changing that into music, going from. From reading and into music? Did you start doing poetry and stuff at a young age?

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

Well, no, no. I Was writing. We talk about this. Most kids had journals or diaries. Remember the diet you don't let nobody see your diary. So for me, when I saw hip hop, it wasn't like to do music. For me, hip hop was like, oh, shoot. You could tell stories about who you are stealing other people. I mean, sampling. Sampling other people's music, you know, because growing up for everybody on it was Saturday morning. And this is funny with art and creativity for everybody growing up in the last 40, 50 years, especially for people in my generation. Saturday, no school cartoons.

[Andy Simmons]

Yeah.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

And then on Sunday, Abbott and Costello movies. Remember that? Albert Costello meet Frankenstein. Jackie Hyde, Abbott and Costello meet the Invisible Man. So that was it. But on Saturday, musically, it was 12 o' clock Soul Train and 1 o' clock American Bandstand. So we grew up watching all of the who's and the Al Kareem. So that was the thing. We didn't know that we could do that ourselves. So when hip hop came over the bridge from the Bronx, for me it was like, oh, wow. You could tell stories like Charlotte's Web and the X Men and the Avengers about who you are over music. So I just started writing my daily adventures. My name was Eazy. My first rap name was Eazy D. Because my name is Daryl. Starts with a D. And it's funny how everything is done with education and literature. You know, kids bug out when I tell them stuff like this. So I'm Darrell. First the initial. I mean, first letter. My name is D, so I call myself Easy D. So I would wake up every day and write a rhyme about what I was doing. I like going. There was a store called Maize growing up in Queens. Maize, Gertz, Corvettes, Times Square stores. All of these stores, pergamums. So I would just write rhymes about what was going on in my life daily. I like going out on sunny days Go down to the Avenue, check out Maze I buy my hats from Rebel Knox I buy my sneakers. So it was just me telling real time stories of me. So then when rap really started to explode and stuff like that, by the time Rapper's delight came around, I was already prepared. Because I always tell kids, pretend pre is a suffix, right?

[Andy Simmons]

Yeah.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

Pre means before. So I was pretending to be a rapper in my basement all alone, not knowing that it was actually proprietary. Prepare. It was practice.

[Andy Simmons]

Did you know that's what it was preparing you for?

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

No, not at all.

[Andy Simmons]

You just.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

I did not want to get in front of nobody. But the fact that I was reading stories and I was writing on the Fact that I was reading and writing all the time, it prepared me for when it was time to execute. Yeah, that's crazy, right?

[Andy Simmons]

And still, what, 50 years later? You're right. Still writing, telling those stories.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

And it was Riggs Morales who was Eminem's A and R over at Shady Records for the rise of Eminem's great career. Ricks Morales was the A and R guy over there. When he came to New York and was working at Atlantic Records and Warner Brothers Records, I went to meet him about music. And when I went into the meeting, and this is what's powerful about books, we sit down, he said, I know I don't want to interview, but what was it like when he was a kid? And he asked me that and I was like, well, I used to it do just read comic books and watch TV shows. And he was like, me too. So Jespot books is a great way of communication for kids. So he was like, me too, you too? So he was a guy that took me to comic Con to where when I went in, I saw all the TV shows. I grew up, all the games. You know, Comic cons is everything. It's books. They have a whole book section, book floor. It's books, it's video games, it's board games, it's action figures, it's TV shows, it's movies. So it was everything that was me when I was a kid. And he said, yo, D, you should do a comic book. And at first I was like, no. I said, why should I do a comic book? So it can inspire, motivate, educate while you're entertained. Same thing that when I met Shawnee and Johnny Rafael. D, you should do a kids book. Why? So conspire, motivate and educate. Why you entertain.

[Andy Simmons]

And when those opportunities prevented presented themselves, you were already ready.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

I was already right. Exactly. You know what I'm saying? I'm like, I'm not an author. Yes, you are. Just tell the story.

[Andy Simmons]

Yeah. Just not yet.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

I'll hook up with you and you'll help me make sure it's done correctly.

[Andy Simmons]

Exactly.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

Yeah, exactly.

[Andy Simmons]

That's what we tell, we hear people. Well, I don't know. I'm not an author. Well, you're not an author yet. You're a writer. You're creative. Put it down, we'll make you an author.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

And it's funny, as you said that earlier, everybody has a story. And I tell your story because save and change somebody's life.

[Andy Simmons]

Yeah.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

You know what I'm saying? And don't be ashamed of Your story.

[Andy Simmons]

Yeah, you know, I, I just think too, the, the message again, the like fifth message in this, you know, hidden underneath all this is about art and creativity and imagination. And again, kids can see. The other thing that's really nice about this too is they see, you know, that this is you. That. And so they can see, hey, this guy's right in front of me.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

Yes.

[Andy Simmons]

Here's. As a kid in a book, wow, I. I could do this again.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

Right, right. They see him. The, the guy that my grandfather goes crazy for. He started just like me. And that's what. It's funny that you say that. That's why when I did my rhyme on sucker MCs I say, I'm DMC in a place to be. I go to St. John's University since kindergarten. I acquired the knowledge. So the kids. Oh, he was in kindergarten. Yeah. Just like you, cuz, you know, kids look at you and just think, you woke up and became a businessman and a dad. They forgot. Said, y. I tell all the kids, especially with the middle school kids and the high school kids, I said, you're not putting nothing over on none of your teachers. We know everything that you did because we did it.

[Andy Simmons]

My dad told me earlier. Anything you do.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

Yeah, we think. Yeah, we thought we was doing something. They knew everything that you was doing. But that's the beauty of the kids get to see themselves. Yeah. He was in third grade and now he. Yes. You mean you got teased, bullied in two and now you. Yes.

[Andy Simmons]

Yeah.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

You know what I'm saying? And I always tell the kids, don't worry, yo. There's always going to be. When you get older, there's going to be bullies worse than the bully that was bullying you when he was a little kid. But if you develop books, the books will prepare these kids to have their own tools. And you know, I'm saying, like when you're, when you're. When your kids say, daddy, Daddy, can you read to me again? They're ready for another emotion because they know tonight they're going to experience. Experience something that they didn't before.

[Andy Simmons]

Yeah.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

And it's helping them build up a strong defense system, offense and defense, to deal with life.

[Andy Simmons]

And it's interesting too, because it can be a. A very difficult decision for the biggest decision in the world. What are we going to read? Because it's how to. And somewhere deep inside them, it's how do they feel right now? How do they want feel? And so they'll, you know, you know, when it's getting around the holidays, they want to feel in the Christmas spirit. Then they're going to want to read

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

a Christmas book or something will happen in school and a school year you don't know about. And for some reason, they're going to say they're going to ask you to read the book that they didn't want to read three months ago because something happened, you know, they don't want to talk to you about it. Like in the first book, when Daryl takes his name off the talent show contest, he felt something as soon as he did that, but he was acting like he was cool because the bullies. Yeah, that's it. Yeah. Poetry and talent shows and being good is corny, so. But he. He's standing there with them, like we call fronting, thinking like he's down with them. But then he. Know he goes home, but he didn't want his mom to know it was him. Mom, what would you do if you wanted to do something that you thought was cool, but the other kids didn't think it was cool? You know, as opposed to him saying, mommy, I did that. He didn't want to put himself in this situation. She says, daryl, you have to believe in you and follow your dream. And he still didn't believe it. Then he goes into the dream and stuff like that. So it's important that you said that, you know, whether everything that we read and everybody says this, you get a different feeling of the emotion when you read it. It's deeper for some reason. Like when you see it in a movie, it's cool, but it goes away

[Andy Simmons]

with the book when it hits, because you have to. You internalize it. You apply it in your head to your.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

Yes.

[Andy Simmons]

When you have every. Every other sensation. Yeah.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

It's just there.

[Andy Simmons]

It's telling.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

It's not connecting. Right. You see it. Okay, that was the bad part of the movie. But when you're reading it, it touches you and.

[Andy Simmons]

And that creates empathy. Yes. And that's why, same as you, I would. When I was a kid still this day, I would rather read a book than go to the movies or watch tv. And I always am reading four or five books at a time because it depends on my mood. Do I want to read Bukowski for the hundredth time in a row, or do I want to read this JFK by.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

Oh, yeah, right. Exactly.

[Andy Simmons]

It just depends on my mood. How I. Yeah, you got four or

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

five books in the room and. Oh, I'm gonna rehome an iliad today. Like, I used to always do that.

[Andy Simmons]

Yep, exactly. And it's the same as what you said with the kids. Like, and they may not even know it, but they're gonna. Based on how they're feeling, what's going on in their life, they're gonna pick a different book.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

100%. Yeah.

[Andy Simmons]

This is great. Yeah. Yeah.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

Books. I mean, books is great. And it's free. Funny. You know, I've been sober for 23 years now and stuff like that, so books is a great, great, great, great blessing for mental health.

[Andy Simmons]

Oh, yeah.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

You know, it gives you the quiet time. You can cut out all the noise, sit down and read a book. And I always tell kids, what is it that you like to do? I want to be a singer. Well, who's your favorite singer? Get. Get the book about them.

[Andy Simmons]

Yeah.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

And read it. Like, you know, they listen to the music and watch it on social media and watch the video. I said, no, get the book. And a lot of kids go and get the book.

[Andy Simmons]

You know what I like to do, too, is actually just read the lyrics.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

Yeah.

[Andy Simmons]

Because some of these are, you know, they're.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

It's poetry. Yeah.

[Andy Simmons]

Story and poetry. So if you read it now, if you hear them singing it, you're maybe more focused on the music than you are the words. Story. So if you're reading it, hey, now my. I can use my imagination.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

That's why for us, albums were so good.

[Andy Simmons]

Yeah.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

Because they used to put the lyrics in it.

[Andy Simmons]

Yeah.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

Now, you know, digital is instant access, but with the album covers, you would open and it would give you the lyrics to the song and then you would read it.

[Andy Simmons]

Yeah.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

You know, saying even if you knew them by hearing it, when you read them, it did something different to you. It touched you. It touches you deeply, deeper. Deeply. Deeper emotionally.

[Andy Simmons]

Yeah.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

And.

[Andy Simmons]

And definitely true.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

You said that.

[Andy Simmons]

Yeah. You know, sometimes. And again, it's depends. I feel sometimes you just want to listen to it and you can get lost in the sound. Sometimes you want to.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

I used to always do that with Earth, Wind and Fire albums. Just. I didn't play it. I would just sit there and read the lyrics.

[Andy Simmons]

Yeah.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

And Earth, Wind and Fire albums was like, when you read it, it's very spiritual and magical.

[Andy Simmons]

Yeah.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

If you sit there and read an Earth in the Fire album, it's mystical in this. What? Like, yo. It was like a movie.

[Andy Simmons]

Yeah.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

Reading is better than a movie.

[Andy Simmons]

I will always. I will always agree.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

You know why proof is in a pudding. You know why reading is better than a movie? Because they make movies out of books.

[Andy Simmons]

Right. That's true. Yeah.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

I Just really.

[Andy Simmons]

They don't make books out of movies. Yeah, no, that's good stuff. What, what do you want, what message do you want people to know about? Daryl's Christmas in Hollis.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

Daryl's Christmas in Hollis will show you the power of love and generosity.

[Andy Simmons]

I think that is very well said that that solve beautiful.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

All of our problems. If I had to sum it up.

[Andy Simmons]

That sums it up beautifully.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

Yeah.

[Andy Simmons]

And so book will be released just for everyone watching, listening. The book will be released on December 2nd.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

December 2nd.

[Andy Simmons]

But you can order from our website from bluebloombooks.com at our bookstore. You can order signed copies that will ship within the next week or so.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

Yes.

[Andy Simmons]

De's in here right now signing about a million books. Yep.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

We got a million and a half to go.

[Andy Simmons]

Yeah, we got some more. We got some more to go.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

Yes, sir.

[Andy Simmons]

But this is. It's a, you know, beautiful hardcover. It's a big book, too. Nice, big square, beautiful illustrations, great message. I don't think you can. You can do wrong by getting this book for your kid, for yourself too. Like adults. We're gonna. We're gonna. I learned from this book.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

It's so cool. And a big shout out to Tristan Tate.

[Andy Simmons]

Yep. The illustrate.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

Yeah, he's. He's rocking with us. Thank you.

[Andy Simmons]

Great job. Good job, Tristan. So. All right. And. Oh, we have some book sign is coming up. There's a couple in Barnes and Noble in.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

Yeah, Barnes and Nobles in Jersey. Barnes and Nobles in Jersey. Bookmark shop in Brooklyn, New York. A book ends in Ridgewood. Yeah, I think it's Ridgewood, New Jersey, not Ridgedale. Ridgewood, New Jersey. Barnes and Nobles. Clifton Bookmark shop in Brooklyn. Ridgewood bookends, everybody. Bookings is popular place bookings in New Jersey.

[Andy Simmons]

We got the airport.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

Yes. I'm doing a signing. This is tomorrow.

[Andy Simmons]

Well, this probably won't be out by the time that signing.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

Oh, this is out after that. Let's do this. I will be doing signings in the airport coming up at the Hudson bookstores. I'll be in there. And you just never know where. I might pop up at a bookstore store near you.

[Andy Simmons]

Yeah, I. I told D. He needs to just set up a stand.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

I'm going to do that New York.

[Andy Simmons]

And just.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

No, I'm going to do that.

[Andy Simmons]

And just for sure. I mean, and you're going to see

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

me out there, people.

[Andy Simmons]

And if you. If you can get them to read it, there is. I will defend this till the day I die. There is no better reader of children's books than you. It is absolutely amazing. The animation, the voice voices, the face we scrunch. It is absolutely amazing. So those kids are lucky that you hold here.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

I'll put this out there to anybody out there listening, all of you, superintendents, principals, teachers, educators, social workers, if you get your people to buy 500 or a thousand books to disperse to any of the students wherever you at, elementary school boys and girls club, group home, wherever I will personally come to where you are at to visit the youth and the children and read the book

[Andy Simmons]

and you can't get a book.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

I'm putting that out there wherever you at.

[Andy Simmons]

Awesome. Well, they're lucky to have you and so are we. Thanks for coming and doing this. Thank you and congrats on the book.

[Daryl McDaniels (DMC)]

Happy holidays to everybody.

[Andy Simmons]

Happy holidays. Darryl's Christmas in Hollis. Pick it up. Everywhere books are sold. Danley, start playing the song.