Thug Life Army

Daryl McDaniels, aka hip-hop / rap artist DMC helped transform the musical landscape as one-third of the trailblazing, multi-platinum hip-hop / rap group Run-DMC. They sold more than 30 million album and singles worldwide and the rest is now a matter of musical history. Since forming the legendary band with Joseph (Rev. Run) Simmons and the late Jason (Jam Master Jay) Mizell, DMC has remained in the public eye. He is recognized as a pioneer in stoking the popularity of rap and hip-hop into the best-selling and most influential musical genre that it is today.

DMC will release the first singles, Machine Gun and Watchtower, from his much anticipated, forthcoming solo album, Checks, Thugs and Rock n Roll due for release March 14^th, 2006.

Acclaimed filmmaker and music video director Ondi Timoner who recently won the grand jury documentary prize at Sundance Film Festival for her feature-length documentary, "Dig!" directed the video for Machine Gun. The video also features Gary Dourdan, an accomplished musician best known for his starring role on CSI. He makes his vocal debut on Machine Gun.

Four years in the making, Checks, Thugs and Rock n Roll features a virtual whos who of artists from various musical genres. They includehip-hop and rap artists, Run, Doug E. Fresh, Kid Rock, DJ Lethal, and Napoleon (of Tupac’s (2Pac) Outlawz) along with artists Gary Dourdan (CSI), Romeo Antonio, Fieldy (Korn), Ms. Jade, Sonny Black and Sarah McLachlan,

The music of Checks, Thugs and Rock n Roll is sure to introduce DMC the solo artist, to a younger audience that challenges those in his own generation to re-embrace hip-hop. Musically rich, the title of the album eviscerates the lifestyle-driven mentality that has come to dominate the rap world at the expense of authenticity. In addition, the album celebrates some of DMCs own musical influences including Bob Dylan, Harry Chapin and Jimi Hendrix.

‘There’s old-school fans who’ve grown up and said, I don’t listen to rap any more,’ said DMC. ‘But if they’ve tuned out due to the direction that rap has gone, emphasizing the bad-ass lifestyle over the music, well then that’s something that the community has to address. I hope that this album can put the spotlight back on the music, which is where it belongs. And DMC is no stranger to that formula.’