At the age of 56, John “Ecstasy” Fletcher, a rapper as well as a charter member of the pioneering hip-hop group whoodini, passed away. Fletcher’s death was verified by the group’s Grand Master Dee, according to Variety. There was no mention of a cause of the death.
Questlove of the Roots was the first one to break the news of Fletcher’s death, with many others in the rap scene lamenting the loss of the Whodini rapper. Questlove said on social media, “One Love to Ecstasy of the Legendary #Whodini.” “This man was renowned and a key part of another one of hip hop’s most illustrious groups. This is a tragic situation, guy.”
“From Whodini, RIP Ecstasy. Q-Tip tweeted, “One of the hip-most hop’s undervalued voices.” “There are too many hits!”
The New York-based group was one of the first rap groups to burst into the public. Whodini is best known for songs like “Friends,” an international success in 1984, pop’s finest year, as well as “Freaks Come Out at Night,” both from the duo’s 1984 album, Escape. Fletcher was a co-vocalist inside the ensemble, and he was seen on stage wearing his distinctive Zorro-style helmet.
Whodini — Fletcher and Jalil Hutchins, the group’s major creative force — emerged from the early-eighties New York hip-hop movement that also gave birth to Afrika Bambaataa, Kurt Blow, and Run-DMC; the latter group shared a manager (Russell Simmons) as well as a collaborator (producer Larry Carlton).
After contracting with Jive, a London-based company at the time, Whodini proceeded to Europe to record their self-titled first album, which has been co-produced by Thomas Dolby of “She Blinded Me With Science” fame and krautrock great Conny Plank. The album yielded a few hits, including “The Haunted House of Rock” and “Magic’s Wand,” the latter of which is recognised with being the first rap music video:
Whodini’s enduring singles “Friends” and “Freaks Come Out at Night” came on their 1984 follow-up album, Escape, which was produced entirely by Smith.
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