DMC Shares Struggles with Mental Health and Alcoholism, Reveals Contemplation of Suicide After Vocal Surgery

DMC, one-third of the iconic hip-hop group Run-DMC, has spoken candidly about his battles with alcoholism and a dark period in his life when he contemplated taking his own life following a failed vocal surgery that left him feeling lost and disconnected from his identity.

During a conversation on Will Smith’s Class of ’88 podcast, DMC, along with his Run-DMC partner Rev Run, discussed the challenges they faced as the group navigated the transition into the New Jack Swing era during the late ’80s.

Feeling uncomfortable with the musical shift imposed by the group’s DJ, Jam Master Jay, DMC revealed that he coped with the stress by turning to alcohol, indulging in beer during the day and hard liquor at night. The excessive consumption led to vocal spasms, necessitating surgery. When the procedure did not provide relief, DMC found himself in a mental and emotional crisis, considering suicide as he felt incapable of fulfilling his purpose.

Describing his state of mind during that period, DMC confessed, “My life ended, so I thought, when the Run-DMC thing quieted down and I lost myself. So now, I’m really gonna kill myself. I have to kill myself.”

However, he eventually found his way back, got sober, and returned to the stage to perform.

While Run-DMC announced their retirement earlier this year, concluding their live performances with a final show at New York’s Madison Square Garden, DMC expressed sentiments about the group’s closure, likening it to The Beatles reuniting, an improbable occurrence.

In January, during an interview with Rock the Bells, DMC indicated the intention to bring closure to Run-DMC with their last show at Madison Square Garden, paralleling it to The Last Waltz by The Band. Although the performance was purported to be their farewell, the group took the stage once more in August as part of Mass Appeal’s 50th Anniversary of Hip Hop celebration, delivering an electrifying set of their classic hits.