Joseph Simmons AKA Rev Run Net Worth

What is Joseph Simmons AKA Rev. Run's Net Worth?

Joseph Simmons, also known as Rev. Run, is an American rapper, DJ, producer, television personality, author, and minister who has a net worth of $60 million.

Joseph Simmons became famous in the 1980s as one of the founding members of Run-D.M.C., the groundbreaking hip-hop group that helped bring rap music into the mainstream. Alongside Darryl McDaniels, better known as D.M.C., and Jason Mizell, better known as Jam Master Jay, Simmons helped create one of the most important groups in music history. Run-D.M.C. was the first hip-hop group to earn a Gold album with 1984's "Run-D.M.C." and a Platinum album with 1985's "King of Rock." The group's 1986 album "Raising Hell" became the first multi-platinum rap album and helped make hip-hop a permanent commercial force. Later in life, Simmons became known to a new generation as the star of the MTV reality series "Run's House," which followed his family life from 2005 to 2009.

After being ordained as a minister, he began using the name Rev. Run. In 2008, he released the book "Take Back Your Family: A Challenge to America's Parents," which he co-wrote with his wife, Justine Simmons.

Early Life

Joseph Ward Simmons was born on November 14, 1964, in Queens, New York. His mother, Evelyn Simmons, worked as a park administrator for the New York City Parks and Recreation Department, and his father, Daniel Simmons, taught Black history and worked as a school attendance supervisor.

Joseph grew up in a family that would become deeply influential in music, art, fashion, and business. His older brother, Danny Simmons, became a visual artist, poet, and arts patron. His other older brother, Russell Simmons, became one of the most important executives in hip-hop as a co-founder of Def Jam Recordings and a major force behind the commercialization of rap culture.

Before becoming a rapper, Joseph performed as DJ Run. He was associated with Kurtis Blow early in his career and became part of the emerging New York hip-hop scene at a time when rap was still largely a live, neighborhood-driven culture.

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Run-D.M.C.

Before co-founding Run-D.M.C., Simmons was part of a hip-hop group called The Force. He then joined with Darryl McDaniels and Jason Mizell to form Run-D.M.C., a group that would help redefine what rap music could sound like, look like, and sell like.

Run-D.M.C. signed with Profile Records and released the single "It's Like That/Sucker MCs" in 1983. The record became one of the defining early singles in hip-hop because of its stripped-down production, hard drums, direct rhymes, and street-level confidence. The group released its self-titled debut album, "Run-D.M.C.," in 1984. The album reached #14 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and became the first rap album to be certified Gold.

Their second album, "King of Rock," followed in 1985. The title track made the group's ambitions clear: Run-D.M.C. was not treating rap as a passing trend or novelty act. The group positioned itself as the future of popular music.

"Raising Hell" and Mainstream Breakthrough

Run-D.M.C.'s biggest commercial breakthrough came with 1986's "Raising Hell." The album reached #1 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and #3 on the Billboard 200, eventually going 3x Platinum. It also earned a Grammy nomination for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal.

The album included the group's famous collaboration with Aerosmith on "Walk This Way." The song became a cultural milestone, blending rap and rock in a way that brought hip-hop to a much larger mainstream audience. "Walk This Way" reached #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and became one of the most important crossover singles of the 1980s.

Run-D.M.C. followed "Raising Hell" with "Tougher Than Leather" in 1988, "Back from Hell" in 1990, "Down with the King" in 1993, and "Crown Royal" in 2001. Other notable songs included "Christmas in Hollis," "Run's House," "Down with the King," "My Adidas," and "It's Tricky."

The group also became style icons. Their Adidas sneakers, leather jackets, black hats, and no-frills streetwear helped define the look of hip-hop in the 1980s. Their influence extended beyond music into fashion, advertising, television, and youth culture.

Legacy of Run-D.M.C.

Run-D.M.C. achieved a long list of firsts. They were among the first rap acts to receive major MTV exposure, the first hip-hop group to appear on the cover of Rolling Stone, and the first rap group to earn major Gold, Platinum, and multi-platinum album certifications.

In 2018, "Raising Hell" was inducted into the Library of Congress's National Recording Registry, an honor given to recordings considered culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant. In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked Run-D.M.C. #48 on its list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time. MTV and VH1 both named the group the greatest hip-hop act of all time in 2007.

Run-D.M.C. effectively ended after Jam Master Jay was murdered in 2002. His death devastated the hip-hop community and marked the end of the group's active run.

Solo Music, Television, and Books

In 2005, Simmons released a solo album titled "Distortion." His single "Mind on the Road" was featured in the video game "Madden NFL 06," and he also appeared on the Liberty X single "Song 4 Lovers."

That same year, Simmons became a reality television star through "Run's House." The MTV series followed Joseph, Justine, and their children inside their Saddle River, New Jersey, home. The show ran for 59 episodes over six seasons and became one of the best-known celebrity-family reality shows of the 2000s.

Simmons later starred in and produced "Rev Run's Renovation," which aired on HGTV and the DIY Network, as well as "Rev Run's Sunday Suppers" on the Cooking Channel and "Rev Runs Around the World" on the Travel Channel. He also starred with Justine in the Netflix sitcom "All About the Washingtons" in 2018.

Simmons has more than 30 acting credits and has appeared on shows including "Grounded for Life," "Great News," and "The Last O.G." He also served as a producer on "Daddy's Girls," the MTV spinoff starring his daughters Vanessa Simmons and Angela Simmons.

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Personal Life

Joseph Simmons married Valerie Vaughn in 1983. They had three children together: Joseph "JoJo" Simmons Jr., Vanessa Simmons, and Angela Simmons. Joseph and Valerie divorced in 1992.

In June 1994, Joseph married Justine Jones. Together, they welcomed sons Daniel "Diggy" Simmons and Russell "Russy" Simmons, as well as daughter Victoria Anne Simmons. Tragically, Victoria died shortly after birth in 2006 due to omphalocele, a birth defect in which some organs develop outside the body. Her death was shown on "Run's House," with the family choosing to share their grief with viewers. Joseph and Justine later adopted a daughter named Miley in 2007.

Awards and Honors

After Simmons was ordained as a minister, his mentor E. Bernard Jordan gave him the "Protégé of the Year Award" in 2004. In 2007, the BMI Urban Awards named Simmons a BMI Icon.

With Run-D.M.C., Simmons earned a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016. The group also won two Soul Train Awards in 1987: Best Rap Single for "Walk This Way" and Best Rap Album for "Raising Hell." Run-D.M.C. earned additional nominations from the American Music Awards and MTV Video Music Awards and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2009.

Real Estate

In 2003, Simmons paid $1.6 million for a home in Saddle River, New Jersey. The six-bedroom house became famous as the primary setting of "Run's House." Justine renovated the home, which featured a recording studio, home theater, and indoor basketball court.

Joseph and Justine listed the house for $5.3 million in 2005, then re-listed it for $5.5 million in 2007. The home remains closely associated with the Simmons family because it was where millions of viewers watched Rev Run balance fatherhood, faith, fame, business, and family life.

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