Grandmaster Melle Mel, born Melvin Glover on May 15, 1961, in The Bronx, New York, is a pioneering hip-hop MC and songwriter renowned for his work with Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five. A key figure in the early days of the hip-hop scene, Melle Mel is celebrated for his intricate raps and incisive social commentary, which helped to elevate the art of MCing to new heights. His groundbreaking track "The Message" with Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, released in 1982, became one of the first hip-hop songs to provide a vivid, lyrical account of inner-city life, thus pushing the boundaries of what hip-hop music could represent.

Throughout the 1980s, Melle Mel achieved further success with hit tracks like "White Lines (Don't Don't Do It)" and continued to evolve as an artist, eventually adopting the moniker Grandmaster Melle Mel to reflect his influential status within the genre. His later work remained committed to addressing social issues while advancing the craft of hip-hop storytelling. Key releases like "Don't Shoot," which speaks to contemporary concerns around police violence, and the festive "It's a Grandmaster Melle Mel Christmas,” showcase his continued relevance and ability to engage with a range of topics. Despite the changing landscape of the music industry, Melle Mel's legacy as one of hip-hop's founding fathers remains undisputed, and his influence can be heard in successive generations of rap artists.

Genres

Bronx Hip Hop

East Coast Hip Hop

Old School Hip Hop

Related Artists

LL COOL J

Kendrick Lamar

Snoop Dogg

Afrika Bambaataa

Public Enemy

The Sugarhill Gang

Kurtis Blow

Big Daddy Kane

Kool Moe Dee

Kanye West

J. Cole

JAY-Z

Latest Release

The Message

Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five•

Grandmaster Melle Mel

Single - Released July 11, 2024