NPR

Lovebug Starski, Rapper And DJ Who Stood At The Vanguard Of Hip-Hop, Dead At 57

He helped give birth to the culture, and the catchphrase, that would become the most-consumed genre one year before his death.
Lovebug Starski, far right, on November 6, 2014 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The DJ and rapper died Thursday, Feb. 8 2018. With him, from left, are fellow hip-hop pioneers Doug E. Fresh and Grandmaster Caz.

Pioneering DJ and rapper Lovebug Starski, who helped develop the nascent form of hip-hop in the Bronx in the late '70s, died Thursday afternoon of a heart attack at his Las Vegas home, his manager has confirmed to NPR. He was 57.

In a genre built on catchphrases, Lovebug Starski is

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from NPR

NPR4 min read
Pro-Palestinian Campus Protesters Face Looming Deadlines And Risk Of Arrest
Hundreds of students have been arrested for participating in pro-Palestinian protests in recent days. And some schools, like Columbia and GW, have given them deadlines to dismantle their encampments.
NPR5 min readWorld
Blinken Tells China It's In Their Interest To Stop Helping Russia
NPR's Steve Inskeep talks to Secretary of State Blinken about U.S. foreign policy and his meeting with China's President Xi Jinping.
NPR4 min read
Taylor Swift Fans Mean Business With Tortured Poets Soap, Eras Yarn, Kelce Cookies
Entrepreneurial Swifties are selling crafty products inspired by Taylor Swift's music and style. Swift herself has been known to send notes and even homemade gifts to creative super-fans.

Related Books & Audiobooks