Jalil Hutchins (L) and John Fletcher de Whodini backstage at a concert on October 20, 1984 at the Chicago UIC Pavilion.
Photo: Paul Natkin / Getty Images
John “Ecstasy” Fletcher, a member of the influential hip-hop group Whodini, died at 56, People reports. The cause of death has not yet been revealed. The first to publicly announce the rapper’s death, Questlove took to Instagram on Wednesday to honor Fletcher, who, along with bandmate Jalil Hutchins, founded the group in 1982. “A love for the ecstasy of the legendary #Whodini”, wrote the drummer for The Roots. “This man was legendary and a key member of one of hip hop’s most legendary groups. This is sad, man. ”DJ Drew Carter, also known as Grandmaster Dee, who joined the group in 1986, confirmed the rapper’s move to Variety.
Based in Brooklyn, Whodini recorded six studio albums in total, producing 14 hit singles, including “One Love”, “Friends”, “Five Minutes of Funk”, “Freaks Come Out at Night”, “The Haunted House of Rock “and more, with the crossover hit” Friends “hitting the Billboard Hot 100 in 1984. His song,” Magic’s Wand “, a tribute to New York DJ Mr. Magic, is considered the first hip-hop song with a video clip. Whodini’s final album, 1996 Six, was executive produced by Jermaine Dupri, who also posted in Fletcher’s memory on Wednesday.
“My God, this one hurts me so much, I can’t believe I’m posting this, Ex you know I love you”, Dupri tweeted, next to a video of Whodini with a baby face in 1985. “Thank you for every word, every conversation, every good moment, that your soul rests in power.”