DMC doesn't have much money

This doesn't have much to do with Kansas City other than the fact that there are a ton of struggling wannabe musicians in this town . . . However, I was amazed when I came across an article (via Nah Right) citing the fact that DMC of RUN-DMC didn't make enough money from his music to support himself which would explain a horrible song on VH-1 I saw him performing with Sarah McLaughlin.

Actually, the news that DMC is nearly dirt broke was pretty astonishing for me because I can't think of any guy around my age who doesn't know the lyrics to at least one RUN-DMC song to this day. Also, I think the point at in my life when I heard "I leave all suckas in the dust, those dumb motherfuckers can't mess with us" was probably the instant that I knew that artistic expression could be powerful and emphatic and not just the boring garbage I was listening to on the radio or watching on TV.

Anyway, it turns out that the royalty checks paid to DMC and other founders of Rap music are paltry at best. And this reminds me that Russell Simmons (former RUN-DMC manager, promoter, producer) is probably making pretty good money, having never rapped at all, as a spokesman for the diamond cartels.

And all of this even further reminds me that from Ice Cube (who now is an actor in family movies) to Ice-T (TV cop) virtually every one of my childhood idols sold out in some form or another and the ones who didn't are now broke because of that choice.

The only bright spot that I can find in all of this is that more artists (even the local ones) might learn to maintain the copyrights over their music (even if they give it away on the net) and if they must sell out to the highest bidder . . . They should at least ask for a decent price.