NPR

Lovebug Starski, Rapper And DJ Who Stood At The Vanguard Of Hip-Hop, Dead At 57

He helped give birth to the culture, and the catchphrase, that would become the most-consumed genre one year before his death.
Lovebug Starski, far right, on November 6, 2014 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The DJ and rapper died Thursday, Feb. 8 2018. With him, from left, are fellow hip-hop pioneers Doug E. Fresh and Grandmaster Caz.

Pioneering DJ and rapper Lovebug Starski, who helped develop the nascent form of hip-hop in the Bronx in the late '70s, died Thursday afternoon of a heart attack at his Las Vegas home, his manager has confirmed to NPR. He was 57.

In a genre built on catchphrases, Lovebug Starski is

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