Music really is power

Caught a VH1 documentary last night about rapper DMC (of Run DMC) and his search and reunion with his birthmother.

DMC (Daryl McDaniel) had a big problem with alcohol and prescription pills for a while. Wikipedia: "In 1997, McDaniels began to slide into a deep depression. He became extremely unhappy with the rigorous routine of touring and performing. He hated being away from his wife and newborn son. He began to rely heavily on perscription drugs and alcohol to ease the pain. McDaniels had already built a reputation as a notoriously heavy drinker during Run-D.M.C.'s heyday. He was known to drink up to eight 40 ounce bottles of malt liquor a day and was arrested twice for public intoxication and driving while intoxicated."

Hmmmm. None of this is sounding remotely familiar, is it?

DMC My Adoption Journey - Interivew with DMC - Darryl McDaniels - Adoption Reunion - Adoption Search

DMC My Adoption Journey - Interivew with DMC - Darryl McDaniels - Adoption Reunion - Adoption Search: "DMC on the void he felt that he couldn’t explain and the losses he experienced in a short period of time.
A short time after Jam Master Jay was murdered, his adoptive father passed away. He listened to Sarah McLachlan, “Angel” every day for 3 years. DMC shares the following: “I just thought, ‘God, What are you trying to tell me?’ My story is a story of purpose and destiny. I was questioning my existence. Am I just here to be DMC, to do this rap thing and nothing else? I was suicidal. Angel kept me alive for 3 more years to discover the meaning of the void. Now I know that I am to bring hope, motivation, and inspiration to adopted kids and those in foster care.”

DMC on the importance of his adoption:
“If I wasn’t adopted I would never have met Jay or Run and I wouldn’t be who I am now, where I am and the influence Run: DMC had on rap music today. We were the rap artists to get promotional deals with the song, ‘My Adidas’.”

DMC on whether the search and finding of his birth mom filled the void:
“Yes, it did, it’s a new beginning for me.”

DMC and how his reunion is progressing:
“Really cool. I have 2 brothers and a sister. My birthmom calls herself ‘the other mother’. She believes that she gave me life, my adoptive mother allowed me to experience it.” And what about his adoptive parents and the fact that he did search? 'They are 100% behind me now.”"

Me again: Crazy thing about it is that DMC got McLachlan to record a song with him about his experiences. And revealed to him that she, too, is adopted. Kismet, no?

Back to them:"This documentary brought to light the reality of closed records and closed doors as DMC learned that he would never have his original birth certificate, that it was forever sealed. This knowledge, while nothing new to veteran searching adoptees, blew DMC away and he expressed his frustration in a support group for adoptees. He also shared how the group has kept him going on his search and has helped in his grieving process."

Me: And here it is a Monday afternoon and I'm sitting in my office with the door closed and music blasting to cover the sound of my sobbing. And I just wish that 'this grieving process' could just hurry up and happen already. It's hard being 35 (erm, wait, 34) and being so affected by something that happened in my first 30 days. But it's also comforting to see similar hurt and loss in other people. To know that I'm not completely insane. And that I'm not alone.

So, I guess what I'm saying is that I can't recommend this documentary enough.

Sorry for the ranting. Thanks for reading.