Jul 8, 2010 - Issue 383
Click here to go to the Home Page
is published every Thursday
Est. April 5, 2002
Click to go to the Subscriber Log In Page
Click here to go to a menu of the Contents of this Issue
 
Click to visit our Google powered search page
Click to visit the Friends of BC page
Click to vist the Cartoons page
Click to visit the Art page
Click to visit the Links page
Click to visit the Advertise With Us page
 

BlackCommentator.com - Rammellzee: Hip-hop Pioneer and Street Art Legend - Born 1960 - Died Jun 30, 2010

   
Click to go to a Printer Friendly version of this article

Share |

 
 

Rammellzee (or RAMMSLLZSS, pronounced "Ram: Ell: Zee", born 1960 in Far Rockaway, Queens, New York), was a graffiti writer, performance artist, rap/hip-hop musician and sculptor from New York.

He was discovered by a larger audience through the 1982 cult movie Wild Style by Charlie Ahearn. His fame in graffiti circles was established when he painted New York subway trains with Dondi, OU3, and Ink 76, and doctor Revolt.

Rammellzee and K-Rob's "Beat Bop," a 10-minute-long hip-hop track is regarded as one of the most revered songs of rap's early era. It was produced by artist Jean-Michel Basquiat, who also drew the cover art, resulting in the 12" album becoming a major collector's item and became one of Rammellzee’s best-known performances and a hip-hop touchstone. It was the unofficial theme song for Henry Chalfant and Tony Silver’s graffiti documentary “Style Wars - New York's Kings of Graffiti.” Below is a audio of Beat Bop with video from Style Wars.

Rammellzee was also a member of the Death Comet Crew, with Stewart Albright and Michael Diekmann. In 1988, he and his band Gettovetts recorded the album "Missionaries Moving."

In 2003, Rammellzee performed at the Knitting Factory in New York with the newly reformed Death Comet Crew; subsequently, Troubleman Unlimited re-released recordings made by DCC between 1982 and 1984; additionally, their single for "Exterior St." was featured on the compilation, Anti-NY, with contemporaries, Ike Yard, Sexual Harassment, and Vivian Goldmann, among others.

In 2004, he released his debut album Bi-Conicals of the Rammellzee, produced by Gomma Records. Rammellzee also performed at Knitting Factory with guitarist Buckethead several times.

If you don’t know the name, the history, or the legend, feel free to Google Rammellzee and you will see the impact he made on urban culture in the past 30 years.

 

If you would like to comment on this article, please do so below. There is a 400 character limit. You do not need a FaceBook account. Your comment will be posted here on BC instantly. Thanks.

Entering your email address is not mandatory. You may also choose to enter only your first name and your location.

 

e-Mail re-print notice
If you send us an emaill message we may publish all or part of it, unless you tell us it is not for publication. You may also request that we withhold your name.

Thank you very much for your readership.

 
 
 

 

 

Executive Editor:
David A. Love, JD
Managing Editor:
Nancy Littlefield, MBA
Publisher:
Peter Gamble
Road Scholar - the world leader in educational travel for adults. Top ten travel destinations for African-Americans. Fascinating history, welcoming locals, astounding sights, hidden gems, mouth-watering food or all of the above - our list of the world’s top ten "must-see" learning destinations for African-Americans has a little something for everyone.