Run-DMC’s Darryl ‘DMC’ McDaniels Forms New Group FREEDOM With Public Enemy Veterans

Three architects of hip-hop history have united to form FREEDOM, a new group bringing together Darryl "DMC" McDaniels of Run-DMC, DJ Johnny Juice, and Brian Hardgroove, both of Public Enemy. The band is designed to cross genres and generations, fusing raw hip-hop energy, rock power, and messages of unity into a sound based on authenticity and resilience.

The group's debut single, "I'm On Your Side," will be released on Friday, May 15, on all major streaming platforms via Worldwide Entertainment Group, The Orchard (a division of Sony), and JRB Innovations. The track bills itself as a sonic manifesto for unity and social activism, urging listeners to move beyond passive engagement and take collective action in uncertain times.

The "I'm On Your Side" music video was filmed in New York in one day and directed by Simon Kinney of Synergy Group Productions, with an additional day of shooting in Santa Fe, co-directed by Zay Santos of Santa Fe Stockyards.

Alongside the single launch, FREEDOM will debut a fan community and merchandise campaign as part of a broader multimedia push. FREEDOM is represented by Worldwide Entertainment Group, a New York-based entertainment company led by industry executive Dave Lory, focusing on all aspects of a musical artist's career path.

Each member brings deep credibility to the project. McDaniels is a founding member of Run-DMC, the pioneering hip-hop trio that became the first to go platinum, make an appearance on MTV, and be welcomed into the mainstream as rock stars in their own right. DJ Johnny “Juice” Rosado is a master of the turntable, a producer, and a sharp political edge, a defining voice in the sound of conscious hip-hop for decades. Hardgroove is a bass player, producer, and drummer with deep musicality and a lifetime goal of using music as a catalyst for personal and social empowerment.

More information about the band is available at freedomonyourside.com.