Simmons was born and raised in Queens, New York.\n', '

His father was a public school administrator and his mother was a New York City park administrator. His brothers are painter Daniel Simmons Jr., and Rev Run of Run-DMC. In 1975, after graduating from August Martin High School, Simmons briefly attended the City College of New York in Harlem where he met a young DJ/Bboy, Kurt Walker, who influenced him to participate in the hip-hop phenomenon.\n', '

Upon hearing Eddie Cheeba perform in Harlem in 1977, Simmons knew that hip hop would be his career. Simmons stated, "Hearing Cheeba in \'77 made me feel like I had just witnessed the invention of the wheel."\n', '

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