Edward Gernel Fletcher, known by his stage name Duke Bootee (June 6, 1951 – January 13, 2021), was an American record producer and rapper.
[2] Born and raised in Elizabeth, New Jersey, his best known single, "The Message", was written in his basement with Clifton "Jiggs" Chase and was released in 1982 on Sugar Hill Records, featuring rappers Duke Bootee and Melle Mel.
[3] The record label marketed the song under the name Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five.
After concluding his music career in the early 1990s, Duke Bootee acquired teaching certification and became an educator in the Plainfield (NJ) Public School District.
[5][3] This biographical article related to hip-hop music in the United States is a stub.