Darryl “D.M.C.” McDaniels is frank, bold and completely unabashed in his passion for the forefathers of hip-hop.

A founding member of Run-D.M.C. — hip-hop pioneers in their own right — McDaniels has endured a string of personal challenges (depression, alcoholism) and professional ones.

In 2002, he and Joseph “Rev. Run” Simmons saw the essence of Run-D.M.C. altered forever when their partner Jason “Jam Master Jay” Mizell was murdered at his Queens, N.Y., studio.

Obviously, the group couldn’t exist as the Run-D.M.C. that ignited fashion trends (Adidas!) and bulldozed musical boundaries (their collaboration with Aerosmith on the 1986 version of “Walk This Way” was a revolutionary alliance), and for years, McDaniels and Simmons walked separate paths.

But last year, the pair reunited for Jay-Z’s “Made in America” festival in Philadelphia and later appeared at the Fun Fun Fun Fest in Austin.

As McDaniels, who turns 49 on Friday, explained in a recent conversation from his home in New Jersey, those appearances, as well as Saturday’s post-Braves game concert at Turner Field, aren’t indications that Run-D.M.C. is officially back.

But still, he wants fans to know that, “Even in 2013, ain’t nobody putting it down like Run and D.M.C.”

Q: You had a couple of reunion dates last year, so how would you classify the status of Run-D.M.C. right now?

A: We’re not back together as a group. We just have some good offers to do some shows. But at the same time, we get to showcase (Jam Master) Jay’s children and bring awareness to the JMJ Foundation, which his wife created to keep music programs in school. We’re going to stick to doing big shows, but we’re not doing an album, no world tour. We can’t really be Run without Jay, but we can show up for certain shows.

Q: So how do the live performances work without Jay?

A: We have two DJs who are both familiar with the songs so it’s easy for them. And then we showcase Jay’s kids. Jason Jr. is more of a straight-ahead DJ while T.J. is into that dub-step, electronica, so they bring their different personalities.

Q: You’re playing after a Braves game here, so your production is probably limited, but what are the live shows like now?

A: All we need are two turntables and a mic. And the crowd. But they’re gonna hear everything — “It’s Tricky,” “You Be Illin’” — all of their favorite songs.

Q: You overcame some personal issues, yet it seems like there are a lot of rappers out there, like Chris Kelly from Kris Kross and Nate Dogg, and even Lil Wayne, who seem to be plagued by health or drug problems. Do you have any advice for these guys who might be going through such struggles?

A: I got three things going for me: I ain’t dead, I didn’t get shot and I’m not in jail. The problem is this, we don’t learn from the lessons that have been put forth to us from the generations preceding. We are not being responsible, and the people who want to be responsible are afraid because they don’t get no support. When Tupac got shot, we mourned and two weeks later we went back to the same nonsense and it goes on and on.

Q: What rappers out there now do you think have the potential to stick around and get past the nonsense?

A: Talib Kweli, Mos Def, even Kanye (West) makes some significant records. What bugs me about hip-hop is that we created it to go against everything that is on MTV and BET today. The real gangsta rap told a story and said, “Shorty, you can do something better than that.” When I talk to kids in middle and high schools, I tell the girls, put some clothes on, and the men, put a suit on and command that room.

Q: You were the second rap act to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (in 2009). What did that mean to you?

A: I was kind of disappointed in the culture of hip-hop. Grandmaster Flash was the first group to be inducted into the Rock Hall, and people did not celebrate it. When the press came knocking (for our induction), I said, “Before you come talk to me, you need to talk to Grandmaster Flash.” Magazines like the Source, XXL … they should have been the front cover. I’m happy that we’re in, but I’m not happy about how my people handled them. This is history, and to this day, Melle Mel is better than 90 percent of all the rappers out now.