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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 2, 1987)
'i w * September 2, 1987, Portland Observer, Page_ i THE ENTERTAINMENT SEEN Joseph "Run" Simmons Doing it His Way The truth can finally be told. Bill Adler in his new biography of Run- DMC "Tougher Than Leather," re veals that if it had been up to Russell Simmons alone, Run-DMC might never have happened. The mana ger of the group and the older bro ther of Joseph "R un" Simmons, Run thought he was ready to re cord, but Russell wasn't so sure. "It's funny," Russ says now. "I didn't have enough belief in my own brother. I knew how good he was, but it just didn't occur to me that he could be a star." And whatever his reservations about Run, Russell was sure he didn't like DMC. "I always thought world as DMC. At the time, late in the winter of 1982, Russell was having a lot of success with an artist named Kurtis Blow. Russell had brought the i 7 a 1 like, D would recite some of his own rhymes, which Russell hated. "It's too hard, it's too aggressive, it's not commercial," complained the aspi ring young business tycoon. Run would in Russ' face. scream at "DMC's the world!" immediately jump up "You dummy!" he'd his older brother. best rapper in the For a while, Russell was un moved. His idea was to create a group called the OK crew, which would consist of musician Larry Smith, a white English woman named Blue (who booked a rock- and-rap club in downtown Man hattan)—and Run. Run wasn't going for it. He in sisted on DMC, and Russell finally had to give in. Their first record, entitled "It's Like That," came out in the spring of 1983. Two weeks after its release, it was on it's way to becoming a smash hit, and Run- DMC was launched. Run enlarged Darryl "D M C " M cDaniels then 12-year-old Run into show business in 1979 to work as a deejay and a partner in rhyme for Kurt, who was then Russ' only client. "Run wrote a lot of rhymes and talked a lot of stuff right away," Russ recalls. "He was def." After several years' worth of seasoning, and after finishing high school, Joseph "R u n " S im m ons Russell, who was then a young concert promoter, never thought about making records with Run and absolutely hated the rapping style of Run's friend Darryl McDaniels— who's now better known to the Jason "J a m M aster J a y " M izell Kurtis Blow was corny and I told Russ so," DMC remembers. "That's why Russell didn't like me — 'cause he had Kurtis, and Kurtis was getting the money." To show the kind of thing he did the group with deejay Jam Master Jay, an old friend from the same Hollis, Queens neighbornood in which they'd grown up, and they hit the road. The OK Crew would remain a pipe dream. Run-DMC had work to do. Pictured are the members of Run- DMC when they were twelve years old. Photo by M Johnson Dancer: Bobby Fouther "Artists' Night Caberet' at Cafe Nu-Attitudes Bobby Fouther, a 1987 Oregon Arts Commission recipient, will feature some of his work in dance at Cafe Nu-Attitudes: "Artists Night Caberet , Sunday, September 6, 1987, at 7:30 p.m., 319 S.W. 11th, between Stark and Burnside, Portland, OR 97205. The show will also feature performances from jazz pianist Janice Scroggins and Company, vocalist Rita Bankhead, and a collection of very avant garde dancers. An assortment of guests guaranteed to fill any even ing with excitement. There is limited seating — Call for reservations: 228-8906. One Stop Records End of the Summer Jam & W hat's Hot? • Barber Cuts? • $10.00 • Press & Curls? • $15.00 & up • Braids? . Jazz Family Picnic • Leisure Curls? • $65.00 • Crimps? • $20.°° r ALBERTA PARK U.T.F.O. and All the Latest Hits Regina Belle now I, »6 99 I I $1.00 o ff J w ith th is co u p o n L (N.E. 19th & K illing sw o rth ) • Relaxers? $45.00 Gospel ★ including ★ Labor Day Sept. 7,1987 • Hair W eaving? • $75.00 & up Curls? • $45.oo featuring A Full Selection Of Oldies • Precision Cuts? $10.°°& up • Color? • $20.00 X • Pineapple Wave's? • $15.00 & up "The Neighborhood Shop Where We Are You" 2:00 p.m. 'til 8:00 p.m. 826 N. K illing sw o rth phone 289 9123 FEATURING Any Way You Like It Come Try Our Outrageous Food by Sally Live Music, Speakers, Games For Back To School There w ill be a prize given to the fa m ily w ith the m o st fa m ily m em bers in attendance. "Tiffany HAS IT Beer Garden provided by Joe's Place 3133 N.E. Prescott 287-6557 Saturday SPONSORS Mondays — 12-5 • Lunch 11:30 a.m .-1:30 p.m. Dinner 4:30 p.m .-6:30 p.m. All-day Fish Fry from 11:30 a.m. Tues.-Sat. — 9-5 W ill accept late appts. Sunday Brunch Special fea tu rin g „ ö S V /C MADE THE AMERICAN WAY The Best in Jazz » Grass Root News and J.B.'s Paradise Room Natural Fruit Juices and Drinks from all over the world. THEATRE d l ’IM: s i u m Ml SIC S.F.. Mill AT ( K ALIVE /SANDY Bt VjL g C ORROSION curtís - OKOtiFORKm- y salgado LeRoy Vinnegar Trio 18th b 19th Quiet Fire featuring Yamile 1st, 8th. 15th. 22nd. 29th 3530 N. Vancouver Ave. ttllHH mi Coming in September Akbar Dapriest Trio featuring Nancy King 6th 11:30 a .m .-1:30 p.m . ■ETTER ÉRTERTAIRMERT ATTRACTION» 288-1196 I COUPON • COUPON I Interstate Photo Express 5022 N. Interstate Portland, OR 97217 (503)284-8411 H H <£ the stilettos MM spterTnewt S e p t . 2, 16 & 30 SE 9 1 h at S a n d * S 3 .0 0 c o V <’ r Portland's Largest Dance Floor Phone; 235-0027 Advance Tickets on Sale Now! Usual Outlets '"ff: * ’ • *• ’ « . ■ ,-1 30% off film processing prices of any 110, 120, or 135 film. We honor any Portland area co iipons. ONE HOUR SERVICE Expires Sept. 31, 1987