Legendary hip-hop artist and graffiti artist Rammellzee has passed away, according to various Twitter accounts. An official confirmation is still pending and a cause of death is not yet known. Update: Longtime collaborator Death Comet Crew confirms his death.
Born in 1960, Rammellzee was considered a pioneer in the hip hop community and his unique vocal style served as influence for a number of today’s artists. His resume was highlighted by “Beat Bop”, his legendary 1983 single with K-Rob, collaborations with Buckethead, and appearances in influential hip hop films Wild Style and Style Wars.
In addition to his work in the music community, Rammellzee was also an acclaimed graphic artist whose works were based on the theory of Gothic Futurism. According to Wikipedia, the theory “describes the battle between letters and their symbolic warfare against any standardizations enforced by the rules of the alphabet.”
I am by no means an authority on Rammellzee, so please read both The Daily Swarm and Passion of the Weiss for more insight on his life and impact. Also, below you can find a few videos illustrating the artist’s many talents.
Image via Sleezyblue.com.
