Hey Folks,
Malcolm here on the Miracle, having a great time as always and enjoying the New York run. I have to tell you, it’s been a HOT summer, and with Grand Turk burning up, I think I’m a shade darker. If you take a cruise, you better prepare for the hot afternoons. The sunsets are AWESOME... picture perfect.
I have some exciting news! As I am a big fan of music and come from The Bronx, it was a special week for me: aboard the Carnival Miracle, I was able to meet Reverend Run from Queens. You may also know ‘the Rev’ as Joseph Simmons, the New York rapper, producer and DJ who even made it into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame with Run-D.M.C., one of the founding fathers of the early Hip Hop scene. This was one of the most pioneering and revolutionary groups in the early Hip Hop scene, and avoided falling into the one-hit-wonder trap.
Run-D.M.C. broke ground with this new style of music and even set fashion trends with the ‘Adidas look,’ which spread from New York across the world and continues to this day. Today, you still see people sporting their Adidas because of Run-D.M.C.! They also made history with popular songs like “My Adidas” and “Tricky” (featured in the movie Road Trip), but who could forget their mega hit with Aerosmith, “Walk This Way,” which pioneered the combination of rap and rock music. Working with other artists like Kid Rock, Sean Combs and Russell Simmons, the Rev is still hard at work, and even today you’ll still see him sporting his Adidas around the ship.
Now a family man, Rev is enjoying his anniversary with his lovely wife Justine Simmons, onboard the Carnival Miracle! Today, America knows the pair from the MTV reality show “Run’s House,” produced by Diddy (Sean Combs), an inside look at the everyday life of the once-rapper, producer and DJ, now transformed into a successful reverend… not to mention family man. Now with six kids, Rev is still building his family enterprise. After eight Seasons of “Run’s House,” his daughters have branched out and started their own business following in their dad’s footsteps: a sneaker line. His daughters also have their own MTV reality show, “Daddy’s Girls.”
Currently, the Reverend is teaming up with Kool-Aid and KaBOOM! to build playgrounds for children in underserved communities. We discussed his other projects, his appearances in Vegas and at colleges, with his BlackBerry buzzing practically every moment.
As we noted, Rev & Justine chose the Carnival Miracle as a place to take a break from it all. Chatting with Rev (along with his trusted bodyguard Perry), he wanted nothing more than to enjoy a quiet anniversary with Justine. I learned that even as they cruise, the rest of the family is busy working, with son Jo Jo creating music ( and actually shooting a commercial today), Diggy signing a record deal a few weeks ago, and the girls out in L.A. running their sneaker business. Mom & Dad, now living in Jersey, needed a gateway, and the Carnival Miracle was only a step away.
Since they boarded the ship, many Carnival guests have been buzzing about his presence, so as you can imagine, denying and trying to play dumb did not last very long! On the second night – 80s Night – I even sported my Run-D.M.C. gear. You can guess who I ran into at the casino: the Rev himself. He gave me a look up and down, and the look of approval I got was priceless! If only mom could see me now... By the seventh day of the cruise, he was a common sight for the guests and crew; everyone relaxed and didn’t bother him very much.
When I told my mom that he and Justine were sailing on this cruise, my Mom wished them a happy anniversary. Then when later they asked about mom, I said she’s fine, but Justine wanted to call mom and say hello! But guess who couldn’t remember his own phone number – LOLOL. Since I had the opportunity to sit and chat with Justine and the Rev, they asked about my life out at sea, and how it was for me, especially over the last ten years. I told them how much I love working with Carnival, and how I’ve moved up over the years. Run says I have a great gig out here, working on the water visiting great places, and it’s true. We discuss how we are both celebrities in our own right. Funny how people walk past us and say “Hey Malcolm how are ya? Great show!” Run says “See, I’m RUN and they don’t even notice me.”
While onboard, Justine and the Rev have been enjoying relaxing treatments at Spa Carnival and eating at the Nick & Nora’s Steakhouse every night. The Rev can be spotted every now and then hitting the blackjack table, and even at the Fountainhead Café, enjoying a slice of chocolate cake at sea, just like any “Fun” Ship guest.
What’s Run’s phrase of the day??? Don’t complain, or complaints will come back to you! What’s Mama Burn’s phrase for RUN ?? Squeeze it easy (take it easy, relax, no worry).
The Rev admits that he did look at other cruise lines, but Carnival’s “Fun” Ships offered more of what he wanted: a fun and relaxing casual cruise. Nothing stuffy or formal, and a port close to home. Looks like booking a suite at the last minute worked out well for him.
The Rev says he’s looking to return to the Carnival Miracle. We will see what happens, and what his plans are...
More to follow!
