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We came up with the name Whodini, threw caution to the wind and watched as these two kids out of Brooklyn conquered the world and set the pace and tone for a generation of rappers that came after them.. John "Ecstasy" Fletcher, cofounder of the early New York hip-hop group Whodini, who used electro-funk and R&B influences to expand the new genre into a commercially . Naturally we are grieving during this difficult time, but all of your videos and pictures of our father brings such a light during this dark time. Vocalist and co-founder of the hip hop group Whodini which formed in Brooklyn, New York in 1982. The cause of death has yet to be revealed, Billboard reports. You have chosen this person to be their own family member. Whodini also toured Europe before finding true success back in the United States. Breaks Down His Killer White House Correspondents Dinner Set who had hits throughout the 1980s including Friends, The Freaks Come Out at Night, One Love, Five Minutes of Funk, Big Mouth and Funky Beat. 35 on the Billboard 200 and went platinum. Oops, some error occurred while uploading your photo(s). Escape contained the songs that would become Whodinis seminal hits, notably Friends and Five Minutes of Funk (released as flip sides on the same 12-inch single) and Freaks Come Out at Night., Friends, a skeptical storytelling song about deceit, was a smash in its own right and had a robust afterlife as sample material, most notably on Nas and Lauryn Hills If I Ruled the World (Imagine That)., Five Minutes of Funk which would become even more widely known as the theme music for the long-running hip-hop video show Video Music Box deployed a clever countdown motif woven through the lyrics. Tributes started pouring in after the news of his. He was 56. Whodini continued to perform frequently into the 2000s. Id rather have somebody else give us credit. Raymond Boyd/Getty Images. Thanks for your help! A cause of death has yet to be revealed. Play his music if it moves you, and know hell be hearing you on his way home this day, Dec 23rd., Whodini was known for its singles like Friends and Freaks Come Out at Night.. Whodinis self-titled debut was recorded in Europe, produced by German uber-producer Conny Plank, demonstrating their ability to successfully blend Europop, Synthpop, R&B, Soul, West African oral traditions and Caribbean beats and rhythms like their industry counterpartsAfrika BambaataaandNewcleusto create rap hits. John Ecstasy Fletcher, founder of the 1980s hip-hop group Whodini, died Wednesday at 56, according to a statement released by his family. The news of his death was confirmed by the group's Grand Master Dee. Ecstasy was widely known (and loved) for performing shirtless, in shorts and wearing a leather Zorro hat. Roy Wood Jr. The cause of his death has been shrouded in. Ecstasy was part of the Brooklyn rap trio Whodini! In the statement confirming his death, daughter Jonnelle Fletcher called him a most endeared, generous, and sincere soul.. The family also says John was awake Wednesday morning and talking to people, but all of a sudden he just stopped breathing. We're told his loved ones are all in shock. ). The cause of death was unclear at the time of this article's publication; he was 56. Before long, he had several. 5:31 PM PT -- John's brother, Douglas Fletcher, tells TMZ John died Wednesday morning and it was unexpected. This man was legendary and a pivotal member of one of the most legendary groups in hip hop. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Known for wearing shorts, cowboy boots and a Zorro hat, Fletchers swagger, good looks, soulful voice and smooth delivery made him a sex symbol among early hip-hop fans. #ECSTASY The Rapper who wore the Zorro hats in the rap Group #Whodini. The group ultimately won two more gold albums.). Their sound heavily influenced the launch of the New Jack Swing sound. Whodini rapper Ecstasy dead: John Fletcher dies aged 56 The blogosphere is weeping over the loss of legendry rap star John Ecstasy Fletcher, who was found dead in his Atlanta-area home Dec. 23. John Fletcher, known by his stage name Ecstasy from the pioneering rap group Whodini, died Wednesday at age 56, his family and band mate Grandmaster Dee confirmed to Variety. A young Jermaine Dupri got one of his earliest breaks as a dancer for the group. Are you sure that you want to report this flower to administrators as offensive or abusive? AFRO endorsements for the 2022 midterm elections, A time to dance: Rev. The cause of death was unclear at the time of this article's . My God, this one hurts me so bad, I cant even believe Im posting this, Ex you know I love you, Dupri tweeted Wednesday following news of Fletchers death. Whodini rapper John 'Ecstasy' Fletcher dead at 56 - The Sun 2023 ESSENCE Communications Inc. All Rights Reserved. . He was 56 years old. John Fletcher, who as Ecstasy of the foundational hip-hop group Whodini was the engine for some of the genres first pop successes, wearing a flamboyant Zorroesque hat all the while, died on Wednesday in Atlanta. Use Escape keyboard button or the Close button to close the carousel. Family members linked to this person will appear here. Uline Arena Building Please check your email and click on the link to activate your account. Too many hits! To view a photo in more detail or edit captions for photos you added, click the photo to open the photo viewer. In the mid-1980s, Whodini made up initially of Mr. Fletcher (whose hip-hop name was sometimes rendered Ecstacy) and Jalil Hutchins, who were later joined by the D.J. One Love to one of Hip Hops Greatest! 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved, George Michaels ex Fadi Fawaz dragged by cops after breaking into stars 5m home, Kelly Clarkson admits she once blacked out on pain meds. ESSENCE.com is part of ESSENCE Communications, Inc. 2. Whodoinis live shows were legendary, holding their own with superstar groups like Run-DMC, the Beastie Boys and a young Todd L.L. There is a problem with your email/password. Send us a tip using our anonymous form. In the statement confirming his death,. An email has been sent to the person who requested the photo informing them that you have fulfilled their request, There is an open photo request for this memorial. John "Ecstasy" Fletcher of Whodini performs in December 1, 2017, in Anaheim, California. Rap needed some sex symbols, he told The Times in 1987. This is a carousel with slides. Recent Obituaries | Holy Cross Mortuary Rapper. I thought you might like to see a memorial for John Ecstasy Fletcher I found on Findagrave.com. CNN Sans & 2016 Cable News Network. John Fletcher of hip-hop trio Whodini died on Wednesday (Dec. 23 . includingFriends, The Freaks Come Out at Night, One Love, Five Minutes of Funk, Big MouthandFunky Beat. Fletcher and his fellow bandmates MC Jalil Hutchings and Drew Grandmaster Dee Carter rocked the mic with electrifying iconic performances atFresh Fest 1984,which featured Kurtis Blow, Run-DMC, The Fat Boys, Newcleus & the Dynamic Breakers, New York City Breakers and Turbo and Ozone fromBreakinfame. Resend Activation Email, Please check the I'm not a robot checkbox, If you want to be a Photo Volunteer you must enter a ZIP Code or select your location on the map. I rap in pitch. John was living in the Atlanta area, and his passing has come as a huge shock to close friends. English Nsenga K. Burton, Ph.D., is founder & editor-in-chief of The Burton Wire. John Fletcher Dead: Whodini Rapper 'Ecstasy' Dies - Billboard Get all of Djaytiger's Mashups on - https://www.djaytiger.com/DONATIONS:CASHAPP - https://cash.app/$FullblastradioPAYPAL - https://paypal.me/FullblastEnterp. Learn more about managing a memorial . Whodini's John 'Ecstasy' Fletcher Has Passed Away | Essence A Huge Fan. Friends and fans flooded tributes for the late star on social media on Wednesday. In loving memory of a wonderful person. CNN John "Ecstasy" Fletcher, founder of the 1980s hip-hop group Whodini, died Wednesday at 56, according to a statement released by his family. Whodini's John 'Ecstasy' Fletcher Dies at 56 - Variety Vocalist and co-founder of the hip hop group Whodini which formed in Brooklyn, New York in 1982. Get email updates about John Fletcher delivered directly to your inbox. A system error has occurred. "This man was legendary and a pivotal member of one of. There was really nobody out there making the girls go crazy. Ice Cube posted a photo of the artist, writing: Thank you Ecstasy for showing us how to do it. After signing with the then-London-based label Jive, Whodini traveled to Europe to record their first, self-titled album, which was in part produced by She Blinded Me With Science hitmaker Thomas Dolby and krautrock legend Conny Plank. John Ecstasy Fletcher, cofounder of the early New York hip-hop group Whodini, who used electro-funk and R&B influences to expand the new genre into a commercially potent force, died Wednesday at age 56. Fletchers cause of death is unknown at this time. The LP spawned a couple of singles, including The Haunted House of Rock and Magics Wand, the latter a tribute track to DJ Mr. Magic that is also credited with being the first rap music video: Trending The cause of death was. Jermaine Dupri remembered Fletcher on Twitter, writing, thank you for every word, every conversation every good time, may your soul Rest In Power.. 1987 I entered the @Defjam tour w PE, he wrote on Twitter. John "Ecstasy" Fletcher, a member of the seminal rap group Whodini, passed away on Wednesday, Dec. 23, 2020. Oops, we were unable to send the email. This man was legendary and a pivotal member of one of the most legendary groups in hip hop, Thompson wrote. Other artists that were part of the line-up included The Fat Boys, U.T.F.O., Run-DMC, Kurtis Blow, Furious 5, and the late Andre Harrells group, Dr. Jeckyll & Mr. Hyde. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, Download the TMZ App on the Apple App Store, Download the TMZ App on the Google Play Store. Fletcher cofounded Whodini in Brooklyn in 1982 with singer-rapper Hutchins (DJ Drew Grandmaster Dee Carter joined a few years later). He was 56 yearsOld #JohnFletcher pic.twitter.com/BYg8cOD1ZE, Questlove, who unknowingly broke the news too many when he tweeted early on Wednesday, One Love to Ecstasy of the Legendary #Whodini. All photos uploaded successfully, click on the Done button to see the photos in the gallery. You may not upload any more photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 20 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 5 photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 30 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 15 photos to this memorial. Musician and journalist Questlove broke the news on Wednesday afternoon. Ecstasy of Rap Group Whodini Dead at Age 56 - XXL - XXL Mag His daughter Jonnelle Fletcher confirmed the death in a statement. RIP., Rapper Jermaine Dupri shared a video of Fletcher, with the caption: My God, this one hurts me so bad,I cant even believe Im posting this,Ex you know I love you thank you for every word,every conversation every good time,may your soul Rest In Power #whodini q.. His career touched so many and he will forever be missed as a pioneer in Hip-Hop. In 2012, the rap legends were featured onTV Ones UnSung series, presented with the Icon award at theUnderground Music Awardsand inducted into theLong Island Music Hall of Fame. But the groups rise coincided with hip-hops growing pains in white suburban America. Soldier. Rap Pioneer John 'Ecstasy' Fletcher Of Whodini Dies at 56 He will be missed. By Nsenga K. Burton John 'Ecstasy' Fletcher, rapero del grupo musical Whodini, muri a la edad de 56 aos. Washington, DC 20002. Why is Frank McCourt really pushing it? I cant sing, Mr. Fletcher once said. I try to be unique. People who say that dont listen to rap carefully enough. 2023 EHM PRODUCTIONS,INC. John's death was announced Wednesday by Questlove, who remembers Fletcher as a "legendary and a pivotal member of one of the most legendary groups in hip-hop.". Questlove called the rapperwho had many hits including "Friends," "One Love" and "Freaks Come Out At Night"a "Pioneer. I know some people say all rap sounds the same, but there are many differences. I loved the John aka Estasy would wear his hats. Rapper. John "Ecstasy" Fletcher obituary: rapper with Whodini dies at 56