#grandmaster dee

[soupy-sez]

Beastie Boys, Run DMC, and Whodini, NYC 1987, © Lynn Goldsmith [x/x/x/x]

[singonavine71]

Whodini..

[icecoldaa]

Pete Rock (aka Peter O. Phillips), Heavy D (aka Dwight Arrington Myers), Rakim (aka William Michael Griffin Jr. ), Grandmaster Dee (aka Drew Carter) of Whodini and Just-Ice (aka Joseph Williams Jr. ) appear backstage when Levert performs at Madison Square Garden on March 21, 1989 in New York City. (Photo by Al Pereira)

[soupy-sez]

Pete Rock, Heavy D, Rakim, Grandmaster Dee, and Just-Ice appear backstage when Levert performs at Madison Square Garden on March 21st, 1989 in New York City, © Al Pereira

[icecoldaa]

Jam Master Jay & Grandmaster Dee

[thesearenotphotographs]

Juvenile, Just Blaze, and DJ Kev at Brooklyn Bowl

On Friday, August 9, 2024, New Orleans’ Juvenile celebrated the 25th Anniversary of “Back That Azz Up” at Brooklyn Bowl in Brooklyn, NY. He was accompanied by a live band plus Mannie Fresh. There were opening DJ sets by Just Blaze and DJ Kev plus appearances by Sway and Grandmaster Dee of Whodini.

I covered the special show for Impose Magazine and the full gallery can be found on their website here.

[garadinervi]

"The Biggest Hip Hop Birthday Party of the Year" for Grand Master Dee of Whodini, (flyer), New York, NY, May 24, 1985 [Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C.]

[krispyweiss]

Whodini’s John “Ecstasy” Fletcher Dead at 56

- “Ecstasy was one of the greatest to ever rock a microphone,” Public Enemy says

John “Ecstasy” Fletcher, the Zorro hat-wearing rapper with Whodini, died Dec. 23.

He was 56; no cause was given.

“Pray for our family,” Ecstasy’s bandmate Jalil Hutchins posted on Facebook. “This is a dark day.”

Formed in Brooklyn in 1982, Whodini featured Ecstasy, Hutchins and Grandmaster Dee.

“Ecstasy was one of the greatest to ever rock a microphone,” Public Enemy tweeted. “Whodini broke barriers, set trends and looked out for us as we came up. ... We had a real brotherhood.”

In a tweet, Ice T thanked the band for their early support of his career and offered “sincere condolences” to the surviving band members and family.

Whodini released six albums and became known for tracks such as “Five Minutes of Funk,” “Freaks Come out at Night” and “Magic’s Wand.”

Questlove said Ecstasy “was legendary and a pivotal member of one of the most legendary groups in hip-hop.

“This is sad, man.”

12/24/20