Duke Bootee
Edward Gernel Fletcher, known professionally as Duke Bootee, was born on June 6,
1951, in Elizabeth, New Jersey, and was an American record producer and rapper.
His breakthrough came with the release of "The Message" in 1982, a single he
co-wrote with Clifton "Jiggs" Chase and performed alongside Melle Mel under the
name Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five on Sugar Hill Records. Bootee
continued to collaborate with Melle Mel on subsequent singles such as "Message
II (Survival)" and "New York New York", both credited to Grandmaster Flash and
the Furious Five. In 1984, he releas...
