Early UK rapper dies

16:33 | Monday November 16, 2009

Real name Derek Boland, he began his music career while in his teens as a mobile DJ and then presenting on various pirate radio stations in London, including the original incarnation of Kiss FM.

He signed to fellow DJ Simon Harris’s Music of Life label where he scored the first of three UK hit singles, all achieved in 1988. Goodgroove reached number 16, as did the follow-up Bad Young Brother, issued on the Tuff Audio label, while he closed his chart account in July that year with We’ve Got The Juice. His only albums chart success, Bullet From A Gun, reached number 11 and spent nine weeks on the chart.

However, commercially his biggest success came with his co-write Anfield Rap (Red Machine In Full Effect), which he penned for and performed with The Liverpool football team. Released to coincide with the team making the 1988 FA Cup Final, it peaked at number three.

He also carved out a successful career as a producer and remixer with his work taking in artists such as Rob Base and DJ Easy Rock, Curiosity Killed The Cat, Eric B and Rakim, Big Daddy Kane and Was (Not Was).