It's Like That: A Spiritual Memoir [Hardcover]

Rev. Joseph Simmons Run (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 5, 2000

Money, success, and widespread adulation: Run of Run-DMC, one of the first rappers to achieve nationwide recognition and top-selling albums, seemed to have it all in his heyday. But the dizzying effects of fame soon left Run feeling empty and dissatisfied. Stuck in a pit of despair, he went through the motions of his public life while grappling with his loss of direction and a family life that was falling apart. Here is the story of how he turned his life around, discovering a wellspring of spirituality within himself and a special connection with God. Now an ordained minister, Run talks in this extraordinary book about his profound life change and getting the message out to the community. Still a major rap performer, with a new album just out entitled Crown Royal and frequent appearances on MTV, Run is truly a rennaissance man. A spiritual memoir unlike any other, It's Like That captures the innocence of youth, the pain of chaos, and the joy that one can only find through righteous living. This is an epic and absorbing tale from one of the most popular and complex performers of our times.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Legendary rapper Run of Run-D.M.C. (born Joseph Simmons of Hollis, Queens) became a top-paid star in the 1980s, when rap was still in its infancy. He was in something of an infancy himself, lacking the maturity to fend off the drugs and sexual promiscuity of the music business. He became severely depressed when the band's albums of the late 1980s garnered disappointing sales. Simmons/Run lost himself, developing what he calls a "spiritual amnesia" that threatened to erode the firm, early foundations of family and community he'd enjoyed. Evidence of this erosion manifests prodigiously in the memoir, even unintentionally: for example, when describing how he was called to defend himself on rape charges, Run mentions that his wife "was upset" and took their kids away after the trial. Wife? Kids? This is the first the reader has heard of them. True to the conversion-story format, however, Run cleans up his act. Now the Reverend Run, he focuses on helping others, especially young people, turn their lives around. Scattered after each chapter are Run's 13 "house rules" for living, featuring standard self-help slogans such as "It's never too late to reinvent yourself" and "Obstacles don't hold you back; you hold you back." This rap-to-riches-to-religion story should appeal to teens and music fans, though it may disappoint those looking for a more penetrating spiritual memoir. (Aug.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Hmmm. What to make of the "spiritual biography" of a member of Run-DMC, the band that, more than any other, brought hip-hop to suburban boomers' enclaves? Simmons became a born-again preacher in the early 1990s, a move that, predictably, didn't enhance sales. But the band was no longer the apex of hipness, he was dissatisfied, and troubles, including a sexual-assault charge, haunted him. His life seemed out of control. So he took spiritual control. This is the story of his quest for spiritual satisfaction. Yes, he preaches--an endeavor not far removed from performing rap and its progenitor, dub poetry--and this isn't a pop-music bio. Simmons testifies about his rock-star past, but the book really recounts an intense young man's spiritual journey. Obviously of interest for its pop-cultural components, it is as blunt as good rap, for there is tough reality behind the words. Mike Tribby
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 158 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Press (August 5, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312204671
• ISBN-13: 978-0312204679
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,390,066 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars It's real, August 7, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: It's Like That: A Spiritual Memoir (Hardcover)

I found this book to be a very accurate and down-to-earth account of Rev. Run's life. I have always been a big fan of Run D.M.C.'s music, and I was always curious about the man behind the music. Although Rev. Run seems to have fallen on hard times, his faith in God and how he shares it with us in this book should be applauded and shows that God will bring you back from anywhere. I also found that the self-help tips keep it real. I believe this book is a hip-hop jewel.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great spiritual memoir, February 1, 2001

By 

"July Lady" (MS United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: It's Like That: A Spiritual Memoir (Hardcover)

I didn't know much about Run until reading this memoir. He let's you know that all your dreams can come true, and that you have to help God help you. He tells how the group was up one day and down the next, and that you should always have a backup plan. This book is for anyone who needs encouragement through any circumstances.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars From King of Rock to messenger of the Lord, September 17, 2000

By 

Tasha D. Staggers (New York, NY USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: It's Like That: A Spiritual Memoir (Hardcover)

RUN-DMC were truly the movers and shakers of the rap industry during the 1980's. Then suddenly, their fame slipped through the hands like grains of sand. Joseph Simmons (RUN) was a victim of his own fame and success. Thank goodness he was able to find help by way of religion and now see himself as a spiritual to help other young artist see through his mistakes.