John ‘Ecstasy’ Fletcher, of the Pioneering Rap Group Whodini, Dies at 56

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorThe music-publishing catalog of songwriter-producer Dan Wilson, known for his hits with Adele, the (Dixie) Chicks and his own band Semisonic, has been acquired by Primary Wave.Terms of the deal include some of Wilson’s biggest hits: three from Adele, including the smash “Someone Like You”; six from the (Dixie) Chicks, including their Grammy-winning hit “Not Ready to Make Nice”; and songs recorded by Taylor Swift, John Legend, Dierks Bentley, Pink, Josh Groban, Chris

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorJohn Fogerty has dropped a pointed new song called “Weeping in the Promised Land,” a gospel-flavored, piano-driven lament about the state of the country and the world.

Todd Spangler NY Digital EditorAnother top exec from Quibi, which flamed out in 2020 just six months after launching, has found a new gig: Rob Post, formerly Quibi’s chief technology officer, has joined Cameo — which sells personalized video messages from celebrities — as its new CTO.Post had joined Quibi, the ill-fated mobile streaming subscription service led by Jeffrey Katzenberg and Meg Whitman, in September 2018.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorOver the weekend, indie-rock fans of a certain age were surprised to learn that “Bean Dad” — a man who posted a long Twitter thread about refusing to teach his hungry, crying daughter how to operate a can opener — was John Roderick, frontman of the veteran Seattle band the Long Winters and currently a podcaster. Many were even more disturbed to learn that Roderick’s Twitter history included racist, homophobic and anti-Semitic language.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorAlthough singer-songwriter Jhene Aiko has been around for a minute and was even nominated for three Grammy Awards in 2015, the three nods her critically feted “Chilombo” album received for the upcoming 2021 awards was one of the more pleasant surprises in a year filled with them.Well, anyone looking to get a sense of the Aiko vibe need look no further than the 15-minute medley she posted on Instagram on Sunday, kicking off the new year with a vibe-filled performance

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorAlexi Laiho, former singer and guitarist of Finnish metal outfit Children of Bodom, died due to complications from unspecified “long-term health issues,” according to statements from his label, Napalm Records, and most recent band.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorWhile Jimmy Iovine is best known as one of the music industry’s biggest power players — a cofounder of both Interscope Records and the Beats by Dre headphone empire, and as an Apple Music executive — he began his career as music producer and engineer, working with Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty, John Lennon, Patti Smith, U2, Stevie Nicks, Dire Straits and many others from the mid-1970s to the early 1990s.The ever-growing Hipgnosis Songs, which has invested more than

Louisiana Republican Rep.-elect Luke Letlow died of a heart attack after a procedure related to COVID-19, according to the chancellor of the hospital he was admitted to. LSU Health Shreveport Chancellor G.E.

John Fletcher was a rapper with the influential early rap group Whodini, who went by the name Ecstasy.Fletcher formed Whodini in the early 1980s with Jalil Hutchins, joining the growing hip-hop scene in New York City. They were one of the first hip-hop groups to receive a nationwide following, thanks to early singles including “Magic’s Wand,” the first rap song with a video.

John Fletcher, who was known by the stage name “Ecstasy” while performing with the early rap group Whodini, has died, according to the group’s Grand Master Dee and numerous friends. He was 56 and the cause of death was not revealed.

Questlove broke the news of the rapper’s death on Instagram earlier today (December 23). The cause of death has been made public at the time of writing.“One Love to Ecstasy of the Legendary #Whodini,” he wrote.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorT​he Save Our Stages Act — sponsored by Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) and Sen.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorFoo Fighters announced today that they will join Dave Matthews, Portugal. The Man, Bob Weir, Ben Folds, Tank & the Bangas, Big Freedia and many more at Georgia Comes Alive, a virtual concert taking place Saturday, Dec.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorAs I Lay Dying singer Tim Lambesis, who served prison time for attempting to hire someone to murder his estranged wife, is in the hospital after a bonfire accident left him with burns on 25% of his body.The singer of the veteran San Diego heavy metal band posted about the accident on social media Wednesday, showing himself swathed in bandages but smiling.A post shared by Tim Lambesis (@timlambesis)“Keep your head up no matter what! I’m doing the best I can to make a

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorApart from the shocking shutout of The Weeknd from all 2021 Grammy nominations, the hip-hop and R&B categories have arguably been the most controversial and criticized in the 2021 slate.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorIn July, Senators Amy Klobuchar (a Democrat) and John Cornyn (a Republican) authored the Save Our Stages act, which requests $10 billion in pandemic relief for independent venues. A hearing on that act, a similar version of which passed the House as part of the “Heroes” act in November, was held in the Senate on Tuesday.

Courtney Braun has been elevated to General Counsel of Endeavor’s client representation group while Michelle Walter has been promoted to CFO of WME, effective immediately.