~pitchfork | Bookmarks (27)
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Gylan Kain, Spoken Word Artist Who Co-Founded the Original Last Poets, Dies at 81
Kain helped set the stage for rap with the Harlem collective’s beat-driven performance poetry about racism...
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Cola Boyy, Pop Singer-Songwriter and Activist, Dies at 34
The California musician collaborated with the Avalanches, MGMT’s Andrew VanWyngarden, Air’s Nicolas Godin, and more
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Shigeichi Negishi, Original Karaoke Machine Inventor, Dies at 100
Though never patented, Negishi’s 1967 Sparko Box was the first device to facilitate what would become...
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Vybz Kartel, Sentenced to Life in Prison in 2014, Wins Appeal of Murder Conviction
A Jamaican appeals court will now decide whether the dancehall star and his co-defendants will again...
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Rapper Boss, One of the First Women Signed to Def Jam, Dies at 54
The Detroit rapper worked with Jam Master Jay and Erick Sermon on her solo studio album,...
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Eric Carmen, Raspberries Frontman and “All by Myself” Singer, Dies at 74
The Cleveland singer, guitarist, and songwriter was behind power-pop hits like “Hungry Eyes” and “Go All...
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Pig Destroyer’s Blake Harrison Dies at 48
The grindcore band issued a statement commemorating Harrison, who played samples, noise, and other sound design:...
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Morgan Heritage Singer Peter “Peetah” Morgan Dies at 46
A son of the reggae singer Denroy Morgan, he started Morgan Heritage with seven of his...
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Damo Suzuki, Legendary Can Vocalist, Dies at 74
The Japanese musician performed and recorded with the German krautrock band for a short but important...
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Country Singer Toby Keith Dies at 62
Keith, a torchbearer for patriotic country, had been living with stomach cancer
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Aston “Family Man” Barrett, Bob Marley Bassist, Dies at 77
The key reggae figure played on “Could You Be Loved,” “Get Up Stand Up,” and “No...
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Brian Griffin, Depeche Mode Album Cover Photographer, Dies at 75
As well as driving the Essex band’s striking Soviet aesthetic, Griffin shot covers for the likes...
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Melinda Wilson, Brian Wilson’s Wife, Dies at 77
“Melinda was more than my wife,” the Beach Boys co-founder said of the woman who steered...
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Melanie, Beloved Woodstock Performer and “Brand New Key” Singer, Dies at 76
Melanie Safka was a prolific singer-songwriter and one of only three solo female performers at the...
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Frank Farian, Boney M. and Milli Vanilli Founder, Dies at 82
The controversial German producer also worked with Meat Loaf and Stevie Wonder
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Mary Weiss, Lead Singer of the Shangri-Las, Dies at 75
The pop singer was behind countless hits in the 1960s, including “Leader of the Pack”
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Silent Servant, Renowned Techno Producer and DJ, Has Died
A member of the Sandwell District collective, Juan Mendez was a prominent force in the Los...
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The Soft Moon’s Luis Vasquez Dies at 44
The post-punk auteur released several beloved albums for Captured Tracks and Sacred Bones
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Leon Wildes, Lawyer Who Exposed Nixon Plot to Deport John Lennon, Dies at 90
The New York immigration lawyer successfully defended Lennon against politically motivated deportation efforts
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Del Palmer, Longtime Kate Bush Collaborator, Dies at 71
“It’s hard to know what to say… He was a big part of my life and...
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Phill Niblock, Avant-Garde Composer and Filmmaker, Dies at 90
Niblock was a fixture of the New York experimental scene, collaborating with Arthur Russell, Sonic Youth,...
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Iasos, Pioneer of New Age Music, Dies at 77
The man behind Inter-Dimensional Music, who believed himself to be manifesting transmissions from another plane of...
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Les McCann, Soul Jazz Pianist and Singer, Dies at 88
His music was frequently sampled by hip-hop acts like Dr. Dre, A Tribe Called Quest, and...
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Tom Smothers, Half of Music-Comedy Duo Smothers Brothers, Dies at 86
With his younger brother, Dick, Smothers satirized folk music and politics in the 1960s