Grandmaster Melle Mel

Hip-Hop Pioneer and Icon

When it comes to setting the stage for being an emcee, was there anyone bolder than Grandmaster Melle Mel?!

Melvin Glover was the lead rapper of the iconic group Grandmaster Flash and the Furious 5, which was the first Hip-Hop group to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. As their primary lyricist, Melle Mel was responsible for some of Hip-Hops earliest hits such as "Superappin" and "Birthday Party", as well as many eternal classics like "Beat Street", "White Lines (Don Do It)", "New York, New York" and "The Message", which is the first Hip-Hop recording to be inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.

In addition:

• Mel was the first rapper ever to call himself "MC" (Master of Ceremony)
• He was credited as 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
• Mele Mel also showed the Hip-Hop world that we could use the music for more than dance, that 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. Grandmaster Melle Mel has many accomplishments which is why many call him the G.O.A.T (Greatest of All Time)!

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