John Fletcher, also known as
Ecstasy, has died at age 56, group member
Grand Master Dee confirmed to
Variety. A cause of death was not yet given.
Born June 7, 1964, Fletcher was a member of the pioneering rap who created hits such as “Freaks Out At Night,” “The Haunted House of Rock,” and their
Billboard Hot 100 hit “Friends.”
In 1982, Brooklyn, New York, Fletcher formed the group with lyricist
Jalil Hutchins and eventually signed a deal with Jive Records. Grand Master Dee joined the group in 1986. Their debut single, “Magic’s Wand,” served as a tribute to late hip-hop DJ
Mr. Magic and was followed by a self-titled album a year later, under management by music mogul
Credit: Leon Bennett/Getty Images
John Fletcher, also known as Ecstasy, of the pioneering hip-hop group Whodini, has died at 56. The group s Grandmaster Dee confirmed the news to Variety after the Roots’ Questlove first announced Fletcher s death on social media on Wednesday. No cause of death has been given.
A Brooklyn native known for his trademark Zorro hat, Fletcher formed Whodini with fellow rapper Jalil Hutchins in 1982, quickly rising to prominence in the early 80s New York hip-hop scene. Pioneering from the start their debut single Magic s Wand was among the first rap songs with an accompanying music video the duo was later joined by DJ Grandmaster Dee, and saw a breakthrough with their second album,
Paul Natkin/Getty Images
John “Ecstasy” Fletcher, rapper and founding member of the pioneering hip-hop group Whodini, has died at the age of 56. The group’s Grand Master Dee confirmed Fletcher’s death to
. No cause of death was provided.
News of Fletcher’s death was first revealed by the Roots’ Questlove, with many others in the rap community also mourning the death of the Whodini rapper. “One Love to Ecstasy of the Legendary #Whodini,” Questlove wrote on social media. “This man was legendary and a pivotal member of one of the most legendary groups in hip hop. This is sad man.”
Dec 24, 2020
Ecstasy, the legendary pioneer of the group Whodini has died at the age of 56.
Ecstasy joined Grandmaster Dee and Jalil, to form the group. Known to fans by his trademark Zorro hat, Ecstacy helped shape the modern hip-hop era by taking the scene out of the singles age an into a time of full length albums.
“Ecstasy, as a member of Whodini was one of the most influential rap groups of all time. Period. They were a bit different from Run-D.M.C in that they didn’t incorporate rock into their music but they did blend hip-hop and R&B seamlessly. The impact of that is still being felt today. They were classic hip-hop in every form and Ecstasy was a standout because he would wear a leather wide-brimmed hat. That always made him stand out,” Chuck Creekmur, co-founder and CEO of AllHipHop.