Rev. Run Weight Loss: Hip-Hop Legend Drops 22 Pounds

Joseph “Rev. Run” Simmons has dropped 22 pounds in an effort to lower his diabetes risk. The 48-year-old hip-hop legend said diet and exercise helped him get on par with achieving the physique he’ll need to keep up with Run-D.M.C. group mate, Darryl “D.M.C.” McDaniels.

“I just did a concert with D.M.C. after 13 years, and after losing some pounds for that, I felt really good,” Simmons said. “We got good reviews for having lots of energy on stage and I realized that if I’m going to continue to do shows … I gotta be in Mick Jagger-type of condition.”

While his weight loss was partly motivated by appearances, Simmons said his new health routine is rooted in combating his higher-than-average risk for Type 2 diabetes.

“I found out that [my father] had diabetes in his older age and as I was moving along in my life … I realized that I had to start losing weight,” he said. “[It was] for many reasons, but the number one reason was for health.”