Joseph Simmons facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Joseph Simmons
Simmons in 2000
Background information
Birth name	Joseph Ward Simmons
Also known as	Run Rev. Run DJ Run
Born	(1964-11-14) November 14, 1964 (age 60) Queens, New York City, U.S.
Genres	Hip hop East Coast hip-hop rap rock old-school hip-hop golden age hip-hop
Occupation(s)	Rapper songwriter record producer disc jockey television personality reverend

Joseph Ward Simmons (born November 14, 1964), known as Run, Rev. Run, or DJ Run, is an American rapper, producer, DJ, and TV star. He is a founding member of the famous hip hop group Run-DMC. He is also a minister, known as Reverend Run.

He became very popular again in 2005 with his family's MTV reality show Run's House.

Early Life and Family

Joseph Simmons was born on November 14, 1964, in Hollis, Queens, New York. He is the younger brother of artist Danny Simmons and Russell Simmons. Russell Simmons co-founded Def Jam Records, a major music company.

Music Career Highlights

Before forming Run-D.M.C., Simmons was the main singer in a hip-hop group called "The Force." He then started Run-D.M.C. with his friend Darryl "D.M.C." McDaniels and the late DJ Jason "Jam-Master Jay" Mizell. Joseph Simmons was the lead vocalist for this new group.

Becoming Reverend Run

Joseph Simmons began using the name "Rev. Run" after he became a Pentecostal minister. He was ordained by E. Bernard Jordan, who was his spiritual mentor. In 2004, Jordan also gave him the "Protege of the Year Award."

Solo Music and Collaborations

His first work as Rev. Run was a song called "Song 4 Lovers." He was featured on this single by the UK pop band Liberty X in September 2005. The music video for the song was very popular in the UK. "Song 4 Lovers" reached number 5 on the UK Top 40 Singles Chart.

After this, he released his first solo album, Distortion. The first song from the album, "Mind on the Road," was featured in the EA Sports video game Madden NFL 06. This song used parts of "I Love Rock 'n' Roll." This was similar to how Run–D.M.C. used parts of other songs, like Aerosmith's "Walk This Way," in their hits.

Television Appearances

Rev Run appeared on the MTV series Run's House. This reality show followed his daily life with his family from 2005 to 2009.

In 2007, he and his son Diggy Simmons appeared on My Super Sweet 16. They attended a 16th birthday party for Diddy's son, Quincy. Diddy was also a producer for Run's House.

Simmons has also created other TV shows. Rev Run's Renovation started in 2014 and aired on both the DIY Network and HGTV. Rev Run's Sunday Suppers also premiered in 2014 on the Cooking Channel. In 2016, Rev Runs Around the World began airing on the Travel Channel.

Community Involvement

In 2008, Simmons and his wife Justine worked with Kool-Aid and a group called KaBOOM! They helped build playgrounds in communities that needed them. They aimed to build twenty-four playgrounds that year. Their goal was to make people aware of the need for safe places for kids to play.

In August 2008, Simmons released a book called Take Back Your Family: A Challenge to America's Parents. He wrote it with his wife, Justine Simmons, and Chris Morrow.

In September 2007, Rev Run was honored as a BMI Icon at the annual BMI Urban Awards. He has also been a special guest at churches like Bay Area Fellowship and Fellowship Church.

Personal Life

Joseph Simmons married Valerie Vaughn in 1983. They have three children: Vanessa Simmons, Angela Simmons, and Joseph "JoJo" Ward Simmons, Jr..

He married Justine Jones on June 25, 1994. They have three more children: Daniel "Diggy" Simmons III, Russell "Russy" Simmons II, and Victoria Anne Simmons. Their daughter Victoria was born on September 26, 2006, but sadly passed away shortly after birth due to a birth defect. The Simmons family later adopted a baby girl named Miley Justine Simmons.

The Simmons family lives in Saddle River, New Jersey. In 2017, Simmons shared that he became a vegetarian.

Discography

Solo Albums

With Run-D.M.C.