Edward Gernel Fletcher, known by his

stage name A stage name is a pseudonym used by performers and entertainers—such as actors, comedians, singers, and musicians. Such professional aliases are adopted for a wide variety of reasons and they may be similar, or nearly identical, to an individu ...

Duke Bootee (June 6, 1951 – January 13, 2021) was an American early

record producer A record producer is a recording project's creative and technical leader, commanding studio time and coaching artists, and in popular genres typically creates the song's very sound and structure. Virgil Moorefield"Introduction" ''The Producer as ...

and

rapper Rapping (also rhyming, spitting, emceeing or MCing) is a musical form of vocal delivery that incorporates "rhyme, rhythmic speech, and street vernacular". It is performed or chanted, usually over a backing beat or musical accompaniment. The ...

. His best known single, " The Message", was released in 1982 on

Sugar Hill Records Sugar Hill Records is an American bluegrass and Americana record label. It was founded in Durham, North Carolina in 1978 by Barry Poss and David Freeman, the owner of County Records and Rebel Records. Poss acquired full control of Sugar H ...

. The hit song featured rappers Duke Bootee and

Melle Mel Melvin Glover (born May 15, 1961 in The Bronx), better known by his stage name Grandmaster Melle Mel (or simply Melle Mel) () is an American hip hop recording artist who was the lead vocalist and songwriter of Grandmaster Flash and the Furio ...

. The record label marketed the song under the name

Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five were an American hip hop group formed in the South Bronx of New York City in 1978. The group's members were Grandmaster Flash, Melle Mel, Kidd Creole (not to be confused with Kid Creole), Keef Cowboy, ...

. Later, he collaborated again with Melle Mel on the singles "Message II (Survival)", and " New York New York", in which the latter was credited to Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five. After concluding his music career in the early 1990s, Duke Bootee acquired teaching certification and became an educator. He died January 13, 2021, of end-stage congestive heart failure.

Discography

*'' Bust Me Out'' (1984)Duke Bootee - Bust Me Out (Vinyl, LP, Album) at Discogs
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References

2021 deaths Rappers from New York City Record producers from New York (state) 1951 births Place of birth missing 20th-century American rappers {{US-hiphop-bio-stub