Darryl McDaniels helped revolutionized the music industry as one half of the dynamic rap group Run-DMC in the early 1980s. The group became a cultural icon because of their distinctive fashion (Kangol hats, thick gold chains and Adidas sneakers) and ability to bring rap into the mainstream.

McDaniels, 40, sat down for a few minutes at the All-Star Game in February and talked about rap, basketball and the first time he met Shaquille O'Neal:

The Seattle Times: When did the marriage between hip-hop and basketball begin?

Darryl McDaniels: We used to wake up in the morning, go to the park and play basketball all day. At about 7:30, when the sun was going down, everybody would run home, take off their basketball sneakers, put on the same sneakers — but not the ones you play basketball in — and go back to the park because the DJ just pulled up in the van. He busted a light pole open and he plugged in a turntable, and now it's a park jam. That's how it was. That's what we did in the 'hood. We played ball, and then we jammed.

ST: At what point did the relationship become corporate?

DMC: In the '80s it wasn't really corporate. In the '80s it was done more on a feeling. When Run-DMC did a sneaker deal, it wasn't really about the Adidas, and the money and the merchandise, it was about a feeling.

I'm representing the real. People looked at what was happening, the impact on the community and the kids, that they were practically at one point killing each other for these (Air) Jordans. Corporations and big businesses figured out this is a valuable commodity, so they ran. They was running at the athletes and the rappers and the celebrities to come and endorse their products.

I would say it started in the '90s. Then it got really big from an athletic standpoint with Jordan.

ST: Any idea where this marriage between hip-hop and basketball is going to go?

DMC: I think it's solidified. I don't think it's going to get any bigger. It can't do no more. It is what it is right now.

DMC: Now that's a good question. Wow. If you're not a rapper, don't try to make a record. That's all I got to say.

ST: What about Shaq, Kobe and AI?

DMC: You see, Shaq and Allen (Iverson) was different. Let me just tell you a story about Shaq.

When he was with LSU before he got drafted, we (Run-DMC) went to Louisiana and did a show. This was in '93. The promoter goes, "There's somebody that wants to meet you." We walk into a little dressing room in a little club, and it's Shaquille O'Neal. He was very determined. He said, "I'm a rapper, and I'm making a record." That's the first thing he said. We looking like this is the next big thing in the NBA, and he was serious.

It didn't last, but he was serious. He had a platinum record. He made that good record about his dad. That works because it was real.

Basically, though, if you never was a rapper, don't try to rap. ... Don't just get into it because you got a system and make money, because it ain't real.