The Man Who Invented the phrase “Hip Hop”
Legendary rapper and D.J. Lovebug Starski died from a heart attack on Thursday in Las Vegas. The 57-year-old Bronx-born artist was an instrumental piece in the birth of hip-hop even claiming to have invented the phrase “hip hop”. Born Kevin Smith, he was among the hip-hop pioneers that included DJ Kool Herc, Afrika Bambaataa, Grandmaster Flash and Grand Wizard Theodore. Starski was first signed to Disco Fever Records and was the house DJ for the Disco Fever nightclub in the South Bronx.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWV1rjU_H74
Remembering a Hip Hop Legend
Starski recorded his first single, “Positive Life,” on the Tayster record label in 1981. Sampling by the British Group MARRS with the #1 single “Pump up the Volume” in 1987. Later, he recorded a song for the soundtrack of the 1986 film Rappin’, which was released on Atlantic Records, before recording his first album, House Rocker, on Epic Records.
“We lost one of our greatest pioneers of Hip-Hop” – Dj Premier
According to Rolling Stone Smith had recently relocated to Las Vegas, where he was working to revive his DJ career. He had booked gigs including a weekly residency at the rooftop lounge of Indian restaurant Turmeric. His last appearance there was on Wednesday night, just hours before his death, according to his manager, Jeremy Crittenden.
“We got him out of the club around 4 a.m., and at 4:30, after I told him I got home alright, he texted me back, ‘I love you brother,'” Crittenden tells Rolling Stone. “At around 1 p.m., I got word from a gentleman who was helping him move stuff out of storage that he passed from a heart attack. Leave it to a DJ — he was moving speakers into his apartment.”
Hip-hop icons including DJ Premier, Chuck D., Monie Love, Just Blaze and Grandmaster Flash offered tributes to Starski on social media Thursday night. “We lost one of our greatest pioneers of hip-hop,” DJ Premier tweeted.
We Lost One Of Our Greatest Pioneers Of Hip Hop…
"LOVEBUG STARSKI".
He Is Also Known As One Of The People Who Came Up With The Name "HIP HOP" Aside From Another Legend "Keith Cowboy" Of "The Furious 5"…
Salute To All The Pioneers and Condolences To His Family.#HipHop pic.twitter.com/AH4bNrSIOg— DJ Premier (@REALDJPREMIER) February 9, 2018
Where's the obit for hip-hop pioneer #LovebugStarski in today's @nytimes ? #suckershit #disrespect pic.twitter.com/68Xs1fiEEI
— Hauls of Shame (@haulsofshame) February 9, 2018
https://www.instagram.com/p/Be9MCPKnALO/
Please sign DJ Love Bug Starski’s obituary guestbook here:
