Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five was a highly influential hip hop group formed in the South Bronx of New York City on 1978. Composed of one DJ (Grandmaster Flash) and five rappers (Melle Mel, Kid Creole, Cowboy, Mr. Ness/Scorpio, and Rahiem), the group's groudbreaking use of turntablism, break-beat deejaying, and innovative rapping pioneered the art of hip hop music.
The group rose to fame in the early 1980s with their first successful single "Freedom" and later on with their magnum opus "The Message," which is often cited as among the best hip hop songs ever produced. However, in 1983, relations between Grandmaster Flash and Melle Mel began straining and the group disbanded. A reunion occurred in 1987, and they released a new album, which received lukewarm reviews. Afterwards, though, the group permanently broke up.
Overall, they were active for only five years with two studio albums. In 2007, they became the first rap group to ever be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
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