Duke Bootee

Session percussionist turned chief creative force behind Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Five 's 1982 hip-hop classic "The Message ." Edward Fletcher, aka Duke Bootee, could have justifiably received top billing for "The Message" (1982), a Top Five Hot Black Singles hit -- credited to Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five -- that manifested hip-hop's potential as a medium for sociopolitical commentary. Fletcher wasn't merely the featured MC beside Melle Mel, as the label on the Sugar Hill 12" single noted.