Founding member of Run-DMC visits Las Vegas elementary school

Grammy Award-winning rapper Darryl “DMC” McDaniels visited a Las Vegas elementary school on Friday to talk to students about chasing their dreams and dealing with bullies.

He also talked about his new children’s book, “Darryl’s Dream,” which was inspired by his childhood attending New York City public schools.

“I’m using the arts to assist educators and parents, and the adults, the leaders in the community,” McDaniels said after the event. “One of the things that I always say is that we’ve got to communicate with the children in a language that they all can understand. And music knocks down the walls that separate the differences of each little kid.”

McDaniels, founding member of the hip-hop group Run-D.M.C., emphasized to children at Wendell Williams Elementary School that they are each perfect the way they are, and are fully able to accomplish their dreams. He told the children that he is not better than any of them, calling himself “real life show and tell” of what they are capable of achieving.

McDaniels talked about his experience being bullied in grade school, particularly for the glasses he wore, something he wrote about in his book. He told the kids that if they’re bullied, it’s the bully who has a problem and needs help. He also instructed the kids to get help from an adult if they see someone else being bullied or are bullied themselves, rather than fighting back.

“I think the connection was there,” said Rajul Edmond, assistant principal of the school, “because they’ve all encountered maybe being bullied or felt like they’re being bullied. Just him reassuring them that it’s OK to be them and to be, you know, good with being themselves. Yeah, I feel like every student can relate to that.”

McDaniels also highlighted education, saying that if he weren’t a rapper, he probably would have been a teacher himself.

Second grader Serenity Speller, 7, said she loved the presentation.

“My favorite part was when he did the ABCs,” she said.

McDaniels recited the alphabet with the kids to show that hip-hop and rhyming is always around them. He called the ABCs “the greatest rap of all time.”

According to the Clark County School District, McDaniels is donating one of his “Darryl’s Dream” books to every elementary school in the district with the help of Hip Hop Public Health.

Contact Mark Credico at mcredico@reviewjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @MarkCredicoII.