Biography
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Born
1944
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Born In
Brooklyn, New York, New York, United States
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Died
4 June 2018 (aged 74)
Lightnin' Rod was a pseudonym used by Jalal Nuriddin (Jalaludin M. Nuriddin), a member of influential proto-rap group The Last Poets .
Lightnin' Rod's much-sampled 1973 album Hustler's Convention (sic) consists of one long rhyming narrative, relaying the story of a young ghetto player and his partner in crime. Broken into twelve tracks or "chapters", the tale features backing from a host of funk, soul and jazz musicians including Kool & The Gang, Eric Gale, Cornell Dupree, Bernard Purdie and Richard Tee.
Doriella Du Fontaine, a retrospectively-released recording from 1969, features Rod rhyming over a guitar and drums backdrop provided by Jimi Hendrix and Buddy Miles.
In 1973 a fast-talking, hustler by the name of Sport played a huge part in the birth of Hip-Hop. Brought to life by Lightnin’ Rod a.k.a Jalal of the Last Poets and backed by music provided by Kool & The Gang among others. His street tales of card games, throwing dice and chasing women influenced Wu Tang, Ice T, Public Enemy, Jungle Brothers, Black Moon and many more.
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