D.M.C. Rocks Malja Bahrain
It was a crazy night at Malja Bahrain when hip-hop icon and legend D.M.C., of Run-D.M.C., walked into the Gallery Space, picked up a microphone, and told his story. Jam Up Bahrain organized an entire weekend dedicated to D.M.C. and his first live appearance in the Middle East. Earlier in the day, Darryl “D.M.C.” McDaniels had an intimate session at the QTF Sound Space with a group of musicians and fans, such as DJ Outlaw, Flipperachi, Sarah Nabil, and the Bahraini B-Boys. After sharing powerful advice, he stepped up to the stage at the Malja Gallery Space and talked to an excited and inspired audience. McDaniels narrated his story, from the very first moment he was exposed to hip-hop culture, before there was even a word for it, to the day he recorded his first track with Joseph Simmons (Rev. Run) and DJ Jason “Jam-Master Jay” Mizell.
He emphasized the moments he considered turning points in his life, describing them vividly and citing lyrics verbatim from inspirations like Melle Mel and Grandmaster Flash. He noted that it’s important to get inspiration from artists around you, pointing to Bahraini rapper Flipperachi as his most recent source of inspiration. After the session and having answered a few questions from the audience, he gave the floor to official Run-D.M.C. DJ, DJ Charlie Chan, to hit the decks. Busting moves and mixing with his elbows, DJ Charlie Chan took the audience on a journey in the origins of hip-hop and old school greats. He then invited the Bahraini B-Boys onto the dance floor for a DJ-Breaking collaborative performance which blew the audience away. The night ended with Flipperachi and various guests from the audience spitting rap verses over Charlie Chan’s beats, and D.M.C. in the crowds answering questions and taking pictures.
- Noor Nooruddin
Photo: Abdullah Minhas
May 11, 2015