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Fab 5 Freddy at the 2009 Tribeca Film Festival.

Fred Brathwaite (born 1959), more popularly known as Fab 5 Freddy, is an American Hip hop historian, Hip hop pioneer and former graffiti artist. He was active in New York City in the 1970s and early 1980s, and later hosted the first hip-hop music video show on TV, Yo! MTV Raps.

Career[link]

Art/ Hip-Hop[link]

As a young teenager in the 1970s Fab 5 Freddy was a member of the Brooklyn based graffiti group "The Fabulous 5." He got his name for consistent graffiti "bombing" of the number 5 train on the IRT. Outside of the Fabulous 5 group, in 1980, he painted a subway train with cartoon style depictions of giant Campbell's Soup cans,^[1] after Andy Warhol. In the late 1970s and early 1980s he was an unofficial bridge between the uptown graffiti and early rap scene and the downtown art and punk music scenes. “I was bringing the whole music, hip-hop, art, break dancing and urban cultural thing to the downtown table” he said.^[2] At the end of 1980, Glenn O'Brien cast Freddy, along with fellow Lower East Side graffiti writer Lee Quinones, in the film New York Beat (later released as Downtown 81). That film showcased artist Jean-Michel Basquiat in his Lower Manhattan environment and the culture that surrounded it. Shortly after, Freddy began production along with filmmaker Charlie Ahearn on his film Wild Style (1982), which showcased artist Lee Quinones in the Uptown, Manhattan environment of the Bronx and the music that surrounded it. In April 1981, Freddy helped curate (with Futura 2000 and Keith Haring) the graffiti-related art show "Beyond Words" at the Mudd Club, which contained their own work along with Jean-Michel Basquiat, Rammellzee, Afrika Bambaataa, and others. This was the first time the many members of the Bronx hip-hop scene had appeared in a Downtown NYC art context. The following month, Freddy was booked on Henry Chalfant's "Graffiti Rock" performance with Rock Steady Crew at Common Ground gallery in SoHo (not to be confused with Holman's Graffiti Rock TV show pilot). That show was cancelled due to violence, but was rescheduled in October at another venue called The Kitchen. After the Rock Steady Crew and Afrika Bambaataa were booked as the opening act for Bow Wow Wow at The Ritz nightclub in September 1981, Ruza Blue decided to book them at Negril and begin a night called "Wheels of Steel". That became so popular that it was closed down by the fire department for over-capacity, and Freddy helped Blue (whom he dubbed "Kool Lady Blue") find another home for the party. Together they chose The Roxy roller rink in NYC, which gained national fame once used in the film Beat Street (1984).

Though Fab Five Freddy's contributions to hip-hop culture are numerous, perhaps the most historic comes from his 1982 single entitled Change the Beat. The A-Side of the 12" single featured Freddy rapping the song in both English and French, while the B-Side was a shorter version of the same song, this time performed entirely in French by female rapper Beside, who was credited on the initial pressings of the record as "Fab 5 Betty". Freddy utilized a vocoder with a white noise carrier during the chorus and at the end of the B-Side track. When the beat stops in Beside's version of the song, Freddy says "Ahhhhh, this stuff is really fresh", a line which is quite possibly the most scratched sample in the history of hip-hop music.^{[citation needed]} It was first utilized as a scratch sample on the 1983 Herbie Hancock single Rockit, featuring scratching by legendary DJ and turntablist GrandMixer D.ST, and has been used in countless hip-hop tracks ever since.

Media work[link]

Fab 5 Freddy was referenced in Blondie's 1981 hit song "Rapture". Fab Five Freddy was also mentioned by the Blue Scholars in their song Morning in America. As recounted in the 1999 TV documentary The Hip Hop Years, the "Rapture" video featured Freddy in a cameo role painting graffiti art in the background. (Grandmaster Flash, who was also name-checked in the song, did not show up on the day of the shoot, so artist Jean-Michel Basquiat took his place behind the turntables). "Rapture" was the first hip hop video to be shown on MTV. In 1983, Fab 5 Freddy produced a hip-hop version of "Eisgekühlter Bommerlunder" called "Hip Hop Bommi Bop" together with German punk rock band Die Toten Hosen which is said to be the very first co-production of Punk and Hip Hop. In 1988, Freddy became the first hip hop VJ by hosting the MTV music video show entitled Yo! MTV Raps. He later went on to be an associate producer on the 1991 film New Jack City in which he also made an appearance.^[3] In 1994 he directed the music video "One Love" by rapper Nas.^[4] Most recently credited in the movie Rachel Getting Married, he appears as a special wedding guest, along with other notable musicians, as conceived by producer Jonathan Demme to enhance the expansive and varied soundtrack and wedding members, in contrast with the normal duality of a traditional wedding.^[5] He also worked on the film American Gangster directed by Ridley Scott, in which he makes a small cameo.

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official website
• Fab 5 Freddy on Twitter
• Safra Ducreay, "Fab 5 Freddy" Format, Jan 21, 2008 (interview, with pictures of Fab 5 Freddy's paintings)

Fab Five may refer to:

• Fab Five (University of Michigan), the 1991 University of Michigan men's basketball freshman recruiting class
• The Fab Five, a 2011 documentary on the above group.
• Fab Five: The Texas Cheerleader Scandal, a 2008 movie
• Fab Five Freddy (born 1959), an American hip hop historian, hip hop pioneer and former graffiti artist
• One Direction, a British band

See also[link]

• Fabulous Five (Kentucky Wildcats), nickname of the 1948 Kentucky Wildcats NCAA Championship team
• Fab Four
• Famous Five (disambiguation)

This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the same title. If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article.

The Dogg
The Dogg performing in Zoo Park 2006
Background information
Birth name	Martin Morocky
Also known as	The Kwaito Master, Mr. Skeleton, TeeDee
Born	(1983-03-31) 31 March 1983 (age 29) Maheba, Zambia
Origin	Onayena, Oshikoto, Namibia
Genres	kwaito, hip hop, house
Occupations	musician, producer
Instruments	Vocals, keyboards, drums
Years active	2003–present
Labels	Mshasho
Associated acts	Sunny Boy, OmPuff, Kanibal, Elvo, Qonja
Website	mshashoonline, mshashoarmy, myspace

Martin Morocky (born 31 March 1983), known by his stage name as The Dogg is a Namibian multi-award winning musician. Morocky is one of the most outstanding artists in Namibia and is considered one of the pioneers of Namibia's kwaito genre. His debut album Shimaliw' Osatana, released in 2004, was Namibia's first full length kwaito album. It was critically acclaimed and would go on to be widely hailed as a classic in the Namibian kwaito genre.

The Dogg was part of the group Omalaeti O'Swapo, which released one album in 2004. His music is enjoyed internationally, in countries like South Africa, Botswana, Angola, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The Dogg has performed in France, England and Canada. He is a common household name on Africa's number one music channel, Channel O where he earned two awards and three nominations. He is the highest awarded artist in his country.

Morocky is the owner of Mshasho Productions record label, and Mshasho Clothing. Morocky is one of the highest selling musicians in Namibia. M

Early life[link]

Morocky began his formal education at Onayena Primary School situated in Onayena village, a village in east Ondangwa. Morocky has been living there after returning from exile, Zambia, in 1989. Morocky is the youngest child of four siblings. His aspiration as a child was to become a mechanical engineer while music remained a dormant passion. In 1997, he moved to Windhoek City to attend his secondary education at Augustineum Secondary School in Khomasdal. After graduating from high school, Morocky chose to study for a Science degree at the University of Namibia. He left the University, after one academic year to pursue a career in music.^[1]

Musical career[link]

Rising to Fame[link]

The Dogg used to perform at school concerts in his high school years. When he was in grade nine, he and long time friend Joe Basson, now known as Auntie Sousa, created a kwaito dancing group called Amasilkies. Before pursuing a career in music, he was a backup artist, a dancer and he also opened shows for his famous cousin Killa B and well known friend Jossy Joss. Morocky also opened concerts for well known South African artists such as Mzekezeke, Malaika, Mafikizolo, Mandoza, Brown Dash, Brickz and Ishmael amongst others. He rose to fame following the release of his hit single "Jesus Otati", a kwaito-gospel song produced by Elvo in 2003.

"Jesus Otati" (translated; Jesus is sayng), opened doors for Morocky's career. The song was very popular and earned him comparison to South African kwaito star Mandoza. This was due to the roughness in his voice which was paired to that of Mandoza. His voice was also compared to American rapper DMX, who is also known as The Dog, from which he possibly got his stage name from. The success of "Jesus Otati" propelled The Dogg to win the award for Artist of the Year and Best Kwaito song at the 2003 Sanlam-NBC Music Awards.^[2] He then founded Mshasho Productions in 2003 which gained popularity in 2004 after his second album.

Early Career[link]

While struggling to compile his album, The Dogg met and befriended upcoming artist Gazza who had just returned to Namibia from studies in South Africa. The two started recording together and with the help of Elvo they recorded "Ghetto Life", a song by Gazza. This song's credits would later bring tension between the two artists. The two later signed solo recording contracts with a kwaito label, RC-Ghetto Records.^[3] The Dogg immediately started working on his debut album, releasing the critical acclaimed hit "Perfecto Tromentos" later that year. Around the same time, The Dogg was featured by Gazza on his hit "Shidolodolo" which went on to be very popular and won an award for Best Collaboration at the 2004 Sanlam-NBC Music Awards.^[2] Morocky's released his debut album Shimaliw' Osatana in February 2004 under RC-Ghetto. It became the first full-length kwaito album in his country and won the award for Best Selling album at the 2004 Sanlam-NBC Music Awards.^[2][4] The album was primarily produced by Elvo, who by then became The Dogg and Gazza's mentor.

Later that year in December, Morocky released his second studio album, Take Out Yo Gun. The album was released on his label Mshasho Productions. The lead single from the album "The Dogg Is Back" won awards for Best Kwaito song and Best Video at the 2005 Sanlam-NBC Music Awards.^[2] Morocky would later win the Artist of the Year award for the third time in three years at the 2005 Sanlam-NBC Music Awards.^[2] The Artist of the Year award raised eyebrows by other artist who started discriminating Sanlam-NBC's awarding system. This situation will later bring bad blood between The Dogg and music partner Gazza whom critics claimed was robbed the award.

Morocky signed the first artist to his Mshasho label, Sunny Boy, whom he met while studying at University of Namibia. It would later turn out that Sunny refused a recording offer from Gazza before signing with The Dogg. At a concert in Luderitz (2005) The Dogg and Gazza got involved in a rooted argument which would later turn sour, prohibiting the two to work together in future. The argument was driven by Sunny Boy's decision to sign with Mshasho which Gazza claimed was a betrayal as he had plans of signing him to his Gazza Music Productions. After the news hit the media, fans started choosing sides. A lot of other issue started to surface including an argument surrounding the Sanlam-NBC Artist of Year award which was unfairly awarded to The Dogg.

In May 2006 Morocky released his third album, Introducing TeeDee. The Dogg has co-produced the entire album with Jay Malgas. ^[5][6] On the album The Dogg also introduced his label's artist (OmPuff, Sunny Boy, Tre and Nasti) who all appeared on the album. The first single "Baby Don't Go" won two awards at the 2006 Sanlam-NBC Music Awards for Best Collaboration and Best Afro-pop.^[2] It also won two awards at the 2006 Namibian Music Awards for Best Collaboration and Best single. The Dogg also won the award for Best Hip Hop Song in 2006 at Sanlam-NBC Music Awards. In 2007 it was nominated and won the award for Best New Comer at the Channel-O Spirit of Africa Video Awards.^[4][7]

You Can't Ignore[link]

In 2007 The Dogg continue to enjoy success with his music career, he performed in Europe in the beginning of the year and had various tours around Namibia with his Mshasho crew. Despite the success of his last album Introducing TeeDee, he was highly criticized of selling out. He prove critics wrong with the released of You Can't Ignore which was considered a comeback classic and was compared to his first and second album for its hardcore beats and dark lyrics. The album was well received denying Gazza's 2007 double album 467/GMP Till I Die airplay at the time of its release. The entire album was self-produced under the mentor guidance of Elvo, with only two songs produced by DJ Kboz.

The first single from the album "Can You Feel It" was produced by DJ Kboz. It features Mshasho artist Tre Van Die Kasie. The song became a popular hit across Namibia's borders winning an award at the 2008 Channeol O Music Video Awards for the category Best Kwatito Video.^[7][7][8] It also won Song of the Year and Best Single at the 2007 Sanlam-NBC Music Awards.^[2] The album became very successful winning The Dogg his forth award for Artist of the Year at the same ceremony in 2007.^[2] The Dogg has won this award four times in five years. Another popular song was "Get Sum More" produced by DJ Kboz and featured most anticipated rapper at the time Qonja. The song was a very popular club hit. It won an award for Best Collaboration 2008 Namibian Music Awards. Another popular song "My Girl" also won Best Single at the same awards. The success of the album made it possible for The dogg to win the People's Choice Award at the same Awards. The video for "Hands Up" was nominated by Channeol O Music Video Awards in 2009 for the catogory Best Kwaito Video and lost to Gazza's "Passop". The Dogg also approached Gazza on "He He He" and Jericho on "Hands Up".

2009 and beyond[link]

The Dogg's fifth studio album, This Is My Time, was released on 3 April 2009. The Dogg produced the entire album himself with guidance from Elvo. In March 2009, The Dogg was nominated for "African Artist of the Year" by Nigeria's Hip-Hop World Awards.^[9] The award ceremony which was secretly held and never revealed who the winner was and denied nominating the rapper. The organizers made a controversial comment about who he was and from which country he was from. When asked about the issue, Dogg said it was funny to nominate a musician you do not know. The Dogg was chosen to be the first celebrity guest in the Big Brother Africa 4 house. He entered the house on Friday 16 (week 6 of the show) and left on Sunday 18. He also appeared the eviction show where he performed "Forget" with Namibian singer Ricardo.

The Dogg released his sixth studio album The Power of 7 – Elevating Elevators on April 30, 2010. The album was criticized for its poor track listing and the ever repeating sole production of The Dogg which makes the album sound similar to its predecessors. In November of that year he announced that he was busy working on an album with rapper Qonja. The two rappers collaborated on a short album titled Lets Celebrate which was released on 16 December 2010 under Mshasho Records.^[10][11] The album was produced by The Dogg and Elvo. It features the hits "Let's Celebrate" with TeQuila, "Be My Shepherd" with KK and Lil' D, and "Merry Christmas".

Mshasho released The Dogg's 7th studio album The Deception on July 2.^[12] The album was entirely produced by The Dogg and features big name artists. It features South African kwaito star Brickz on the song "Tromentos" and Zambian singer JK on the song "End of Time", both songs feature Sunny Boy. Mshasho artist OmPuff also appeared on "End of Time".

The Dogg announced via his Facebook fan page that The Deception will shortly be followed by part two album. He also announced the title of the upcoming album although not stated when it will be released. "MY NEW SINGLE FROM DDECEPTION PART 2 WILL MUTE AFRICA ....PAKAMISH"^[13]

Producer role[link]

also see The Dogg production discography

Besides being a musician The Dogg is also an active music producer. He has produced hits for several famous Namibian artist. The Dogg started producing music in 2005 under the guidance of his mentor Elvo. He has so far share production credit with, Elvo, DJ Kboz and Christian Poloni. He has produced and served as executive producer on all albums released under Mshasho Records. Apart from that he has produced hits for non-Mshasho artist including Sunny Boy, Qonja, Kamasutra, Faizel MC and Kavax. The Dogg served as the main producer on all of his solo albums since the 2006 release Introducing TeeDee.

I've tried a few different things, like mixing some house and rave beats with traditional kwaito beats. I'm working on establishing my own unique blend of music says The Dogg in an interview with MTC.Com, October 2007. Through his production career The Dogg has collaborated with Elvo and DJ Kboz, the only two producers who have shared production credit with The Dogg.

Discography[link]

Solo albums[link]

• Shimaliw' Osatana - (2004), RC Ghetto
• Take Out Yo Gun - (2004), Mshasho
• Introducing TeeDee - (2006), Mshasho/KOOL Production
• You Can't Ignore - (2007), Mshasho/KOOL Production
• This Is My Time - (2009), Mshasho
• The Power of 7 - Elevating Elevators - (2010), Mshasho
• The Deception - (2011), Mshasho

Other albums[link]

• Omalaeti O'Swapo, (with Gazza, Elvo and Pablo) - (2004), Omalaeti Music^[14]
• Lets Celebrate, (with Qonja) - (2010), Mshasho

References[link]

External links[link]

• Mshasho Official website
• The Dogg interview with nammusic.com
• Namibian hip hop Official website
• The Dogg interview with shambuka magazine, May 2007 shambukamag.com
• Home of Namibian stars

Nathaniel Dwayne Hale (August 19, 1969 – March 15, 2011), better known by his stage name Nate Dogg, was an American musician. He is noted for his membership of rap trio 213 and his solo career in which he collaborated with Dr. Dre, Eminem, Warren G, Tupac Shakur and Snoop Dogg on many hit releases. Nate Dogg released three solo albums, G-Funk Classics, Vol. 1 & 2 in 1998, Music and Me in 2001 and Nate Dogg in 2008.

Nate Dogg died in 2011 in Long Beach, California of complications from multiple strokes.^[3]

Early life[link]

Nate Dogg was born in Clarksdale, Mississippi. He moved to Long Beach, California when he was 14 following his parents' divorce. He was the friend and partner in the rap game with rappers Snoop Dogg, Warren G, RBX, Daz Dillinger and was the cousin of Butch Cassidy and Lil' ½ Dead. He began singing as a child in the New Hope Baptist Church in Long Beach and Life Line Baptist Church in Clarksdale, Mississippi where his father Daniel Lee Hale was pastor. At the age of 16 he dropped out of high school in Long Beach and left home to join the United States Marine Corps,^[4] serving for three years.

Career[link]

Early career with 213[link]

In 1990, Nate Dogg and Snoop Dogg,^[5] and their friend Warren G, formed a rap trio called 213. 213 recorded their first demo in the back of the famed V.I.P. record store in Long Beach, the demo was later heard by Dr. Dre at a house party and he was instantly hooked on the soulful voice of Nate.^[6]

Solo career[link]

Nate Dogg made his debut on The Chronic. Singing in what later become his trademark style, he was well-received by fans and critics alike, and would go on to sign with Death Row Records in 1993. Nate Dogg was also featured on Mista Grimm's "Indosmoke" with Warren G. Then in 1994 he produced his first hit single "Regulate" with Warren G. Nate Dogg was also featured in many Tupac releases, including his collaboration record Thug Life: Volume I. Then in 1998 after a tumultuous time at Death Row Records he released another album. The double album was titled G-Funk Classics Vol. 1 & 2 and was followed up in late 2001 with Music & Me on Elektra Records. Music & Me peaked at number three on the Billboard hip-hop charts in 2001.^[7] After a number of delays and an original release date of April 2004, his self-titled album was released under the Affiliated Entertainment Group on June 3, 2008.^{[citation needed]}

Television appearances[link]

In 2002, Nate Dogg and Isaiah Mendez appeared on a celebrity episode of the Weakest Link, making it to the last three players before being eliminated by Xzibit and Young MC.^[8]

Collaborations with other artists[link]

Nate found success, not only in solo projects, but in collaborations with other hip-hop artists. In the 2000s, Nate's high-ranking collaborative singles, according to Rolling Stone, includes Dr. Dre's "The Next Episode," Mos Def's "Oh No," Fabolous' "Can't Deny It," Ludacris' "Area Codes," 50 Cent's "21 Questions," Mark Ronson's "Ooh Wee," Houston's "I Like That," Eminem's "'Till I Collapse" and "Shake That", and Mobb Deep's "Have a Party."^[9]

Legal issues[link]

In the early 1990s, Hale was charged with two separate robberies, Check Changers robbery in 1991 and robbery of a San Pedro Taco Bell in 1994.^[10][11] He faced a maximum of nearly eleven years in prison,^[12] but he was subsequently acquitted of both charges.^[11][12]

In 1996, Hale was convicted of a drug-related offense in Los Angeles County.^[13]

On June 17, 2000, Hale was alleged to have kidnapped and assaulted his former girlfriend and set her mother's car on fire in Lakewood. He was arrested by a SWAT team at his home in Pomona. He was accused of kidnapping, domestic violence, making terrorist threats and arson.^[14] He spent a night in the Twin Towers Correctional Facility in Los Angeles before he was released on a $1 million bail.^[15] These charges were later dismissed, but Hale faced jail time for a new charge, illegal possession of a firearm by felon. An unmarked firearm was found in his home during the June 17 arrest.^[13] Hale pleaded no contest to the misdemeanor charge, and was sentenced to probation of three years and ordered to pay a $1,000 fine.^[16]

On April 12, 2002, Hale was stopped by Arizona Department of Public Safety officers outside of Kingman, Arizona while traveling on a tour bus. He was arrested and charged with firearms-related and drug-related offenses after two pistols and four ounces of cannabis were found. Hale was booked on Mohave County Jail and subsequently released on a $3,500 bond.^[17] Weapon charges against him were dropped as an exchange to guilty plea to drug possession charge. Hale was subsequently sentenced to probation and community service. He was also ordered to attend drug counseling sessions in May 2002.^[18]

In 2006, Hale was charged with misdemeanor aggravated trespassing, telephone harassment, battery assault, dissuading a witness from reporting a crime and violation of a restraining order. In March 2008, Hale pleaded guilty to trespassing and battery and was ordered to complete a domestic violence treatment program, probation of three years, and was stripped of gun ownership rights for the next ten years.^[19]

In July 2008, Hale was charged with two felony criminal threats after allegedly sending threatening emails to his estranged wife,^[20] and one count of stalking after allegedly chasing her by car on Interstate 405 in previous month.^[21] Hale initially pleaded not guilty to these charges,^[21] which were eventually dropped in April 2009, because the alleged victim did not contact prosecutors in the case.^[20]

Additionally, Hale has a conviction of driving under the influence.^[21]

Strokes and death[link]

On December 19, 2007, Nate Dogg suffered a stroke, according to a coordinator for his recently formed gospel choir, Innate Praise.^[22] Reports had circulated that Nate Dogg had been admitted to Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center in Pomona, California after suffering a heart attack. Erica Beckwith, however, confirmed to MTV News that Nate Dogg was released on December 26 after being treated for a stroke and was admitted to a medical rehabilitation facility to assist him in his recovery. On January 18, 2008, it was officially reported that the stroke had rendered the left side of his body paralyzed. Doctors believed there would be a full recovery, and his voice was not affected. In September 2008, he suffered a second stroke.^[23] Nate Dogg died March 15, 2011 in Long Beach, California. On March 17, his attorney Mark Geragos confirmed that the cause of the death was from complications of multiple strokes.^[3]

Discography[link]

• G-Funk Classics, Vol. 1 & 2 (1998)
• Music and Me (2001)
• Nate Dogg (2008)

Filmography[link]

• The Transporter song "I Got Love" (2002)
• Doggy Fizzle Televizzle as singer of the theme song for the sketch "The Braided Bunch" (2002–2003)
• Head of State as himself (also singer/composer of theme song) (2003)
• Need For Speed: Underground song "Keep it Comin"
• The Boondocks (2008)

Awards and nominations[link]

During his career, Nate Dogg was nominated for four Grammy Awards.

References[link]

External links[link]

Biography portal

• Nate Dogg at MTV
• Nate Dogg at the Internet Movie Database

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Patti Astor (born ca. 1950) is an American performer who was a key actress in New York City underground films of the 1970, and the East Village art scene of the 1980s, and involved in the early popularising of hip-hop.

Biography[link]

Patti Astor grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio where she was a charter member of the Cincinnati Civic Ballet. Her adventurous spirit however took her to New York City at the age of eighteen (in 1968) to Barnard College but she soon dropped out to take a leadership role in the anti-Vietnam war group SDS (Students for a Democratic Society). She spent two and a half years as a young revolutionary. At the end of that war she traveled the United States and Europe with her dance act, A Diamond As Big As The Ritz.

Music[link]

Returning to New York in 1975 Astor was in the midst of the storm in New York's legendary East Village, from punk rock at CBGB's, the New Wave at the Mudd Club and independent films with directors such as Jim Jarmusch and Eric Mitchell.

Actress[link]

Astor had studied acting at the Lee Strasberg Institute. A queen of the downtown scene, she appeared in over a dozen experimental and low-budget films. Her entry into this genre was Amos Poe’s underground "Unmade Beds" (1976), a black and white 16mm remake of Godard’s Breathless which she acted in alongside filmmaker Eric Mitchell, Blondie singer Debbie Harry, and artist Duncan Hannah. She also appeared in such low-budget and low-audience films as Rome '78, The Long Island Four, and Snakewoman.^[1] Perhaps the most rememberd of these was Eric Mitchell's Underground U.S.A (1980), which she starred in alongside poet Rene Ricard, but none of these films were commercially successful. Her best known roles was as Virginia, the roving reporter, in Charles Ahearn's legendary hip-hop epic, Wild Style. Virginia in Wild Style is a white bombshell who encounters the rap and graffiti culture uptown, and introduces it to the downtown art world, a role Patti went on to perform in real life.^[2]

These films are in the permanent collections of the Museum of Modern Art, the Whitney Museum, and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. (Wild Style was voted "one of the ten best rock and roll movies of all time".)

Gallery owner[link]

Astor went on to co-found the FUN Gallery in early 1981 with partner Bill Stelling.^[2][3] This tenement storefront gallery, was the first of the 1980s East Village galleries, and specialised in showing graffiti artists, like Fab 5 Freddy, LEE (Quinones), Zephyr, Dondi, Lady Pink, and Futura 2000. It also gave important shows to Kenny Scharf (in 1981), Jean Michel Basquiat (November 1982),^[4] and Keith Haring (February, 1983),^[5] artists with a street background who showed elsewhere. For a while the mix of worlds was unique, with the FUN crew of downtown artists and hipsters, beat-boys, rock, movie and rap stars mixing with both neighborhood kids and the official art world: museum directors, art historians and uptown collectors in their mink coats and limos. The gallery closed in 1985, by which time many other East Village galleries had opened, the interest in graffiti painters in the art world has subsided, and rents in the East Village were rising dramatically.

Current[link]

After closing FUN, Patti then moved to Hollywood where she acted in, wrote and produced Get Tux'd starring Ice-T in one of his first movie roles and the crowd pleaser Assault of The Killer Bimbos awarded by People magazine "Trash Pick of The Week".

External links[link]

• Interview with Patti Astor
• No Sleep ‘til Brooklyn: A powerHouse Hip Hop Retrospective
• Patti Astor at the Internet Movie Database

References[link]

• “The True Story of Patti Astor” in Johnny Walker, Janette Beckman, Patti Astor, Peter Beste, No Sleep 'til Brooklyn Perseus Distribution Services. ISBN 1-57687-357-9.
• Dan Cameron, Liza Kirwin, Alan Moore, Penny Arcade, Patti Astor. East Village USA New Museum of Contemporary Art, 0915557886.
• Patti Astor's Fun Gallery promotional clip (8:40) for documentary “Patti Astor’s FUN Gallery,” Robert David Films, Inc.
• * Interview with Patti Astor on Fun Gallery, 149th St. website