John Ecstasy Fletcher, cofounder of the early New York hip-hop group Whodini, who used electro-funk and R&B influences to expand the new genre into a commercially potent force, died Wednesday at age 56. Whodini rapper John 'Ecstasy' Fletcher dead at 56 - The Sun Share this memorial using social media sites or email. God Bless the family and see you one day in Heaven. Dec 24, 2020, 10:53 AM EST | Updated Dec 24, 2020 John Fletcher, best known as Ecstasy from the pioneering rap group Whodini, has died, the group's Grand Master Dee has confirmed. Whodini continued to perform frequently into the 2000s. Together with Jalil Hutchins, John formed Whodini in Brooklyn way back in 1982 before DJ Grandmaster Dee joined in 1986 to form an iconic trio. He had them in red; had them in white; two in black, one with an African headpiece on it, Mr. Hutchins said in a 2013 interview with the Alabama website AL.com. 1987 I entered the @Defjam tour w PE, he wrote on Twitter. John "Ecstasy" Fletcher Dies: Cofounder Of Pioneering Rappers Whodini In his trademark wide-brimmed hat, Fletcher was the immediately recognizable face of the trio. Nsenga K. Burton, Ph.D., is founder & editor-in-chief of The Burton Wire. He died earlier today. The African and Native American ancestors have gathered around and chosen this day, during the Winter Solstice, Dec 23rd, 2020 to call upon a most endeared, generous, and sincere soul, Fletchers daughter Jonnelle wrote in a statement. Failed to report flower. But the truth is the truth.. Too many hits! They had announced the departure. On December 23, relatives announced the death of John Fletcher, a leading member of the pioneering rap group Whodini. Sorry! Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate, or jump to a slide with the slide dots. The group ultimately won two more gold albums.). Whodini rapper John 'Ecstasy' Fletcher dies at 56 Would love your thoughts, please comment. UPDATE (Dec. 24): On Wednesday evening (Dec. 23), a rep for John "Ecstasy" Fletcher of Whodini provided a statement to XXL from the late rapper's family regarding the rapper's passing. John Fletcher Dead: Whodini Rapper 'Ecstasy' Dies - Billboard Together they created a platform to offer images and stories of hope to advance their community. Known for wearing shorts, cowboy boots and a Zorro hat, Fletchers swagger, good looks, soulful voice and smooth delivery made him a sex symbol among early hip-hop fans. The. Rapper. NNPA Newswire Correspondent. Edit a memorial you manage or suggest changes to the memorial manager. Ecstasy, real name John Fletcher, a third of the pioneering hip-hop trio that includes Drew " Grandmaster Dee " Carter and Jalil Hutchins, was known to fans for his resonant voice and trademark. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. I try to be unique. Did you encounter any technical issues? A system error has occurred. 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved, George Michaels ex Fadi Fawaz dragged by cops after breaking into stars 5m home, Kelly Clarkson admits she once blacked out on pain meds. Details of death: Died in. Fletcher was born in Brooklyn and grew up in the neighborhoods Wyckoff projects. ESSENCE.com is part of ESSENCE Communications, Inc. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. cemeteries found within kilometers of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. We've received your submission. The blogosphere is weeping over the loss of legendry rap star John "Ecstasy" Fletcher, who was found dead in his Atlanta-area home Dec. 23. John Ecstasy Fletcher was 56 at the time of his death. appreciated. We have set your language to And most crucially, Mr. Fletchers flat-brimmed leather hats, which became his signature look, inspired by a wool gaucho he saw in a shop on Myrtle Avenue in Brooklyn that he had remade in leather. Ecstasy from Whodini performs at the U.I.C. John Fletcher, a.k.a. Ecstasy of the Group Whodini, Dies at 56 All rights reserved. He will be missed. Other artists that were part of the line-up included The Fat Boys, U.T.F.O., Run-DMC, Kurtis Blow, Furious 5, and the late Andre Harrells group, Dr. Jeckyll & Mr. Hyde. Holy Cross Mortuary : Culver City, California (CA) Kiss Paul Stanley Has 'Thoughts' About Parents Who Support Kids Gender Identities Search above to list available cemeteries. Failed to delete memorial. Managed by Russell Simmons and a part of the Jive Records family, Whodini! Follow The Burton Wire on Twitter @TheBurtonWire. Whodini's John 'Ecstasy' Fletcher Dies at 56 - Variety Whodini made six studio albums, four of which were certified platinum. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. John "Ecstasy" Fletcher, rapper and founding member of the pioneering hip-hop group Whodini, has died at the age of 56. This man was legendary and a pivotal member of one of the most legendary groups in hip hop, the Roots Questlove wrote Wednesday after news of Fletchers death. Previously sponsored memorials or famous memorials will not have this option. (Mr. Smith was also responsible for Run-DMCs breakout albums.) I cant sing, Mr. Fletcher once said. Whodini Fletcher and Jalil Hutchins, the main creative force behind the group came out of the early-Eighties New York hip-hop scene that produced Afrika Bambaataa, Kurtis Blow, and Run-DMC; with the latter group, Whodini shared a manager (Russell Simmons) and a collaborator (producer Larry Smith).