MC Duke

In 1990 MC Duke teamed up with DJ Leader One to release "The Final Conflict," an album that made a lasting mark on the still-developing UK hip-hop scene. An east London native, he first appeared on wax through Music Of Life’s anthology Hard As Hell. He later became a mainstay at the label and put out two modestly successful solo albums. That same year he received Hip Hop Connection magazine’s award for Best British Recording Artist and reached the UK Top 75 with the single "I’m Riffin'"/"English Rasta," just before the recession took hold. Although he issued a pair of strong singles on the Shut Up And Dance label, his commercial prospects faded afterward. During the 1990s Duke compiled the series The Royal Family to promote fresh British rap talent. Alongside Dan Donnely of Suburban Base Records he launched his own imprint, Bluntly Speaking Vinyl. Its earliest releases featured a 12-inch by Phat Skillz (MC Duke’s own alias) together with material from the new outfit IQ Procedure. MC Duke died on April 21, 2024 at the age of 58.