The TV series "All About the Washingtons" stars Joseph Simmons, who was a founding member of Run-DMC.
Simmons performed under the name Run and formed the group in Hollis, Queens, in 1983 with rapper Darryl "D.M.C." McDaniels and DJ Jason "Jam Master Jay" Mizell. The group’s name combined Simmons’s stage name with letters from McDaniels’s name.
Run-DMC became one of the most influential acts in hip-hop history. Their 1986 album "Raising Hell" helped bring rap to a mass audience, while their hard-rock collaboration with Aerosmith on "Walk This Way" became a landmark crossover hit. They also helped popularize the signature look of sneakers, tracksuits, and brimmed hats in mainstream culture.
A common mix-up is confusing Joseph Simmons with his brother Russell Simmons, who co-founded Def Jam Recordings and helped manage Run-DMC early in its career. Joseph Simmons later became known as Rev. Run and starred in several reality and scripted television projects, including "All About the Washingtons."