Melle Mel

about

Melle Mel (born Melvin Glover on May 15, 1962 in Bronx, New York ) is a hip-hop musician, one of the pioneers of old school hip hop as a lyricist & as lead rapper of Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five. Other Furious Five members included his brother Kid Creole (Nathaniel Glover), Scorpio (Eddie Morris), Rahiem (Guy Todd Williams) & Cowboy (Keith Wiggins). The group began recording for Sugar Hill Records and were popular on the R&B charts with party songs and the like. In 1982 Melle Mel began to turn to more socially aware subject matter, in particular the Reagan administrations economic (Reaganomics) and drug policies, and their effect on the black community. A song entitled "The Message" became an instant classic and one of the first glimmers of conscientious hip-hop. Mel would also go on to write songs about struggling life in New York City ("New York, New York"), and making it through life in general ("Survival"). Grandmaster Flash split from the group after contract disputes between Melle Mel and their promoter Sylvia Robinson in regards to royalties for "The Message". Mel became known as "Grandmaster Melle Mel" and is now the leader of the Furious Five. The group went on the produce the anti-drug song "White Lines (Don't Do It)" (the unofficial music video was directed by then unknown film student Spike Lee & starred an unknown Lawrence Fishburne. Mel then gained higher success appearing in the movie entitled "Beat Street", with a powerful song based on the movies

top songs

albums

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Kings of the Streets - The Definitve Collection

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12" 80s Classics

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4

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Hip To The Hop: 30th Anniversary Of Hip Hop Hip To Da Hop

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The Best Of Grandmaster Flash & Sugar Hill

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Hip Hop - The Classics CD

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Muska Beatz

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Sugar Hill Rap Classics - The Pioneers Of Hip-Hop

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The Sugar Hill Records Story

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Legends Of Hip Hop

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Tony Hawk Pro Skater 4

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Paid In Full

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