Melle Mel facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Melle Mel
Mel in 2010
Background information
Birth name	Melvin Glover
Also known as	Grandmaster Melle Mel
Born	(1961-05-15) May 15, 1961 (age 64) The Bronx, New York City, U.S.
Genres	Hip hop East Coast hip hop hardcore hip hop old-school hip hop G-funk electro hop
Occupation(s)	Rapper songwriter
Years active	1978–present
Labels	Enjoy Sugar Hill

Melvin Glover (born May 15, 1961), known as Grandmaster Melle Mel or Melle Mel, is an American rapper. He was the main singer and songwriter for the famous group Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five.

Melle Mel's Music Journey

Early Days in Hip Hop

Melvin Glover started performing in the late 1970s. He might have been the first rapper to call himself an MC, which stands for "master of ceremonies." His group, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, included his brother Kidd Creole, Scorpio, Rahiem, and Cowboy. Cowboy is even credited with creating the term "hip-hop." He did this by playfully mimicking the sound of marching soldiers.

The group began recording with Enjoy Records. They released their first song, "Superrappin'," in 1979. Later, they joined Sugar Hill Records. They became very popular with fun party songs like "Freedom" and "The Birthday Party." They released many singles and even earned a gold record for "Freedom." They also toured a lot, sharing their music with many fans.

Songs with a Message

In 1982, Melle Mel started writing songs about important social issues. He focused on how government policies affected communities. The song "The Message" became a huge hit. It was one of the first hip-hop songs to explore personal and social themes. This made it a classic example of "conscious hip-hop."

Melle Mel recorded his rap for "The Message" over a track called "The Jungle." This track was made by musician Duke Bootee. Interestingly, only Melle Mel from Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five actually performed on the record. "The Message" was later added to the United States National Archive of Historic Recordings. It was also the first hip-hop record to be inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.

Mel continued to write songs about life in New York City. These included "New York, New York" and "Survival (The Message 2)." Grandmaster Flash later left the group. This happened because of disagreements over money from "The Message."

Grandmaster Melle Mel and The Furious Five

After Grandmaster Flash left, Mel became known as Grandmaster Melle Mel. He led the Furious Five. The group then released a song about making good choices, called "... (Don't Don't Do It)". A music video for this song featured a young actor, Laurence Fishburne. It was directed by Spike Lee, who was a film student at the time. The record label wrongly credited the song to "Grandmaster + Melle Mel." They wanted people to think Grandmaster Flash was still part of it.

Mel became even more famous after appearing in the movie Beat Street. He performed a song based on the movie's title. He also performed a memorable rap on Chaka Khan's hit song "I Feel for You". This song helped introduce hip hop to a wider audience. Grandmaster Melle Mel & The Furious Five had more hits like "Step Off" and "Pump Me Up." They also released "Vice" for the TV show Miami Vice. Another song, "Jesse," encouraged people to vote for presidential candidate Jesse Jackson.

Reunions and Awards

In 1988, Mel and Flash reunited and released the album On The Strength. However, new hip-hop artists were very popular then. So, the album did not do well. Mel also performed with other artists on "King Holiday." This song aimed to make Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday a national holiday. He also joined Artists United Against Apartheid. They sang "Sun City" to protest against unfair policies in South Africa.

Mel ended the 1980s by winning two Grammy Awards. These were for his work on Quincy Jones' albums, Back on the Block and Q – The Autobiography of Quincy Jones.

Later Career and Recognition

In 1995, the band Duran Duran covered "... (Don't Don't Do It)". Grandmaster Flash and Melle Mel performed on this version. In 1996, Mel added vocals to Cher's song "One By One."

In 1997, Melle Mel released an album called Right Now. It featured Scorpio from the Furious Five. This album had a tougher rap style. In 2001, he released the song "On Lock" for the movie Blazin.

On November 14, 2006, Mel released a children's book called The Portal in the Park. It came with a CD of his rapped story. It also featured two songs by a then-unknown Lady Gaga singing with Mel. The book was re-released in 2010.

On January 30, 2007, Mel released his first solo album, Muscles. On March 12, 2007, Melle Mel and The Furious Five, with DJ Grandmaster Flash, made history. They became the first rap group ever to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In his speech, Mel asked the music industry to help bring hip hop back to its artistic roots. He wanted it to be less about violence. He shared a positive message, saying, "I've never been shot, I've never been arrested, and I've been doing hip hop all my life. We need everybody's help, so let's do it and get this thing done."

Mel has continued to appear in various projects. In 2008, he was on the show Bronx Flavor. In 2011, he joined a hip hop and wrestling collaboration called the Urban Wrestling Federation. He also appeared in Ice-T's 2012 hip hop documentary Something from Nothing: The Art of Rap. In 2015, he appeared in Macklemore and Ryan Lewis's song "Downtown." In 2016, Mel and Scorpio released "Some Kind of Sorry." As of 2025, Mel and Scorpio are on tour with the Sugar Hill Gang.

Awards and Achievements

Melle Mel has received recognition for his contributions to music.

Images for kids

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  Mel and Ralph McDaniels a.k.a. Uncle Ralph

See also

In Spanish: Melle Mel para niños