Darryl ‘DMC’ McDaniels Teams Up With Myles Kennedy + John Moyer for ‘Flames’ Song About Gun Violence
Gun violence is a hot button topic in America and one that rapper Darryl "DMC" McDaniels is ready to address straight on with his new song "Flames." The musician, who came to fame as part of RUN-DMC, has recruited Alter Bridge and Slash vocalist Myles Kennedy and Disturbed bassist John Moyer to join him on the new song that can be heard as part of the lyric video above.
In speaking with CNN, DMC stated that partisan arguing over gun control needs to stop and that there needs to be a sensible and safe solution put in motion to address all the violence.
"Whether it's a cop shooting a kid or a kid shooting a kid, we gotta look at the totality of the senseless, ridiculous, foolish violence that is polluting all of our communities," DMC said. "So I decided to be the rock 'n' roll hip hop guy that wouldn't be afraid to make a song about it because it isn't all good in the 'hood."
The song itself takes on such topics as police brutality and street violence, where guns are typically the weapon of choice. He also hits on the inability to stop gang violence in cities and is critical of politicians who have been unable to thwart the flow of illegal weapons that further the violence. McDaniels cautions, "What I'm saying is not anti-police and it's not ... against my community. It's about using common sense to alleviate all the problems."
While DMC raps through the verses, the instantly recognizable vocals of Myles Kennedy power the chorus, and Moyer's bass thunders under the hard-hitting song. "Why does the answer always gotta be a gun?" posits DMC in the song, while Kennedy's chorus is equally powerful as he belts, "Burn, Burn, Burn up in flames / Look inside, kill the rage, cause you know we bleed the same / In the end the truth still remains / Can we find a better way before it all goes up in flames."
Though a pioneer of rap and hip-hop, DMC has dabbled more in the harder edge of rock of late, having collaborated with Kid Rock, Buckcherry's Josh Todd and Pop Evil in recent years. In 2015, he was said to be working with Generation Kill's Rob Dukes on music as well.
Watch DMC discuss more about gun control and politics with CNN at this location.
See the Birthdays of Myles Kennedy and Other Rockers