LAS VEGAS (VIP-NEWS) — Legendary hip-hop pioneer Lovebug Starski passed away in Las Vegas yesterday. He was 57 at the time of his death.
An official cause of death for Starski has not been announced, but multiple sources report that he suffered from a heart attack.
Starski, whose real name was Kevin Smith, came up in the hip-hop scene in the 70s, as an MC in The Bronx. He later became a DJ at Disco Fever Club and released popular singles such as “Gangster Rock” and “Dancin’ Party People.”
Although he didn’t always get proper recognition for his contributions to the form, his name was often thrown around in the conversation with others pioneers such as Kool Herc, Grandmaster Flash, and Chuck D.
“Lovebug Starski was A DJ, MC, and innovator,” Chuck told HipHopDX. “A pioneer who excelled before and after the recording line of ’79, the year when rap records began. He was the first double trouble threat in Hip-Hop and rap music. He DJ’ed for the great MCs and MC’ed with the great DJs. Besides Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five, Lovebug Starski was one of the few that took his legendary street records status into the recording world.”
