As the primary lyricist for Grandmaster Flash and the Furious 5, Melle Mel was responsible for some of Hip-Hop’s earliest hits such as “Superrappin”, “Birthday Party”, as well as many eternal classics like “Beat Street”, “White Lines (Don’t Do It)”, “The Message”, and “New York, New York”. Melle Mel was the 1st to MC in a new rhyme cadence, and he changed the way every MC rhymed thereafter. His downbeat on the two, four, kick to snare cadence is still the rhyme foundation MCs build on today. Melle Mel showed the Hip-Hop world that we could use the music for more than dance. We could communicate our social, political, and spiritual views to try to help each other shed light on major issues. He is one of the most respected MCs in Hip-Hop history with an unparalleled lyrical ability.
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