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For Immediate Release:

FREEDOM IS COMING

Darryl “DMC” McDaniels, DJ Johnny Juice and Brian Hardgroove
Announce New Power group Band

I’m On Your Side” Releases May 15, 2026

New York, New York –Three icons whose individual legacies helped define hip-hop, rock and social consciousness across decades have formed a new power-group called FREEDOM. Darryl “DMC” McDaniels (Run-DMC), DJ Johnny Juice (turntablist, Public Enemy) and Brian Hardgroove (Public Enemy, Fine Arts Militia) form

FREEDOM, a band created to bridge genres and generations, blending raw hip-hop energy, rock power and messages of resilience and unity that reflect belief in the transformative power of music. The legendary Darryl “DMC” McDaniels, whose pioneering influence on hip-hop culture is well documented in music history, alongside the virtuosic DJ Johnny Juice, known for his intricate production work with Public Enemy and the multi-instrumentalist and producer Brian Hardgroove, celebrated for his tenure with the same iconic group will debut their powerful new single, a track that serves as a sonic manifesto for unity and social consciousness.

The single blends hard-hitting beats with poignant lyrics. The band aims to inspire millions to move beyond passive listening and engage in tangible actions emphasizing that together true freedom exists.

The band’s first single, I’m On Your Side is set to release Friday, May 15, 2026 through Worldwide Entertainment Group, The Orchard (a division of SONY LLC) and JRB Innovations. I’m On Your Side is a powerful song and music video performed by FREEDOM. The song is an anthem for today’s uncertain times. A rallying cry for those who refuse to stay silent in the face of corruption, chaos and freedom collapsing. With a contagious rhythm and impassioned lyrics, the song captures efforts to reclaim one’s own voice where truth and democracy are under attack. It’s a message of promise that calls for involvement with the band promising that freedom will keep ringing through the power of music. The song will remind fans that the fight for freedom is deeply personal, rooted in courage, empathy, hope and through the original lyrical and musical explosion
by FREEDOM – “DMC”; Juice and Hardgroove.

I’m On Your Side releases on all major DSPs and all music streaming services worldwide. The band has also created a campaign where fans can join their community and be part of their powerful message and platform. As part of the official launch an exclusive collection of merchandise will be available

The I’m On Your Side music video was filmed in New York in one day and directed by Simon Kinney of Synergy Group Productions (Pink, Metallica, Ed Sheeran) and co- directed for one additional day in Santa Fe by Zay Santos of Santa Fe Stockyards.

FREEDOM, a new musical force with iconic, historical vocals bridges the gap between rock, the foundational roots of hip-hop and modern social activism during a time when the world is polarized. I’m On Your Side is not merely a contagious new song and a call to arms in a sense for shared cultural experiences and beliefs and a reminder that icons like McDaniels, who set the stage for rap innovation and social consciousness through his legendary career along with Juice and Hardgroove, are unstoppable in creating a worldwide sensation called I’m On Your Side.

FREEDOM is represented by Worldwide Entertainment Group (NY), a multi-faceted Entertainment Company led by industry executive Dave Lory and a group of award-winning music industry decision makers focusing on all aspects of a musical artist’scareer path. (http//:wweg.com).

The band will embark on a select group of media interviews prior to launch. To book an interview or appearance contact [email protected]

PRESS CONTACT
Caroline Galloway
440-591-3807
[email protected]

BIOGRAPHY

FREEDOM

FREEDOM is a new powergroup formed by three icons of American music whose individual legacies helped define hip-hop, rock and social consciousness across decades. Brian Hardgroove (bassist & drummer, Public Enemy), DJ Johnny Juice (turntablist, producer, Public Enemy) and Darryl “DMC” McDaniels (DMC). Together they form FREEDOM, a band created to bridge genres and generations, blending raw hip-hop energy, rock power and messages of unity into a modern sound rooted in authenticity and resilience that reflects belief in the transformation power of music.

BRIAN HARDGROOVE

A powerhouse bassist, producer and drummer, Hardgroove is best known for his work with Public Enemy. Raised in Hollis, Queens, the same neighborhood that birthed Run-DMC, Hardgroove’s career has spanned collaborations with other iconic artists including Bootsy Collins, The B-52’s Freed Schneider, Stewart Copeland (The Police), Burning Spear and projects like Audio Rhythm Theory (with Stewart Copeland and Dug Pinnick of King’s X). Beyond performing, he’s known for mentoring young artists for Santa Fe University of Art and Design’s Artists for Positive Social Change initiative. Hardgroove brings to FREEDOM his deep musicality, production expertise and lifelong mission to use music as a catalyst for personal and social empowerment.

DJ JOHNNY JUICE

A central figure in the Public Enemy creative circle, DJ Johnny “Juice” Rosado is known for his turntable mastery, production skills, and sharp political edge. As a producer, engineer and DJ, Juice has shaped the sound of conscious hip-hop with advanced scratch textures and intricate layers of beats that have influenced generations. His past collaborations not only include Public Enemy, Herbie Hancock, C&C Music Factory, Beastie Boys and Leaders of the New School, but also projects that have merged activism and artistry – like co-producing DMC’s social conscious reinterpretation of “Walk This Way” with producer Jack Douglas and Brian Hardgroove, benefitting The Felix Organization.

DARRYL “DMC” MCDANIELS

One of the architects of modern hip-hip, Darryl McDaniels – better known as D.M.C. rose to global fame as co-founded of Run-DMC, the first hip-hop group to go platinum, appear on MTV and earn mainstream recognition as being rock stars in their own right. Run-DMC’s groundbreaking cover of Aerosmith’s “Walk This Way” not only redefined the relationship between rap and rock but paved the way for genre fusion.  McDaniels is a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductee and a passionate social activist. He is co-founder of The Felix Organization, a charity that funds summer camps and programs for foster children. With FREEDOM, McDaniels channels his trademark lyrical intensity and commanding voice into the mission of celebrating unity, diversity and compassion through song.

THE SOUND AND VISION:

FREEDOM’s music draws from a lifetime of innovation across hip-hop, rock and funk, fusing live instrumentation, sharp lyricism and turntablism into a bold new sound. With “I’m On Your Side,” the trio reasserts their creative unity, purpose and heart. The track’s message evokes mutual recognition and empathy, carrying the spirit of their classic ethos into the 21st century: voices for truth, rhythm for resistance and music for healing. FREEDOM embodies what it declares – creative independence, emotional honesty and social harmony – standing as a powerful reminder that music rooted in integrity can still change the world.