Whodini was formed in 1982 by John Fletcher, Jalil Hutchins, and DJ Crew Carter (also known as “Grandmaster Dee”). The group was wildly popular throughout the 1980s with such hits as “Friends”, “Five Minutes of Funk”, and “Freaks Come Out at Night” (1984) and “Funky Beat” and “One Love” (1986).
The group laid the foundation for the genre “New Jack Swing” which consisted of elements of jazz, funk, rap, and rhythm and blues.
In 2007, Whodini was featured at the 4th VH1 Hip Hop Honors. In 2012, Whodini was inducted into the Long Island Music Hall of Fame. And in 2018, the group was awarded the Hip-Hop Icon Award.
In the 1980s, Whodini was the favorite group of everybody’s mom. We blasted their music in our homes so that people outside could hear and enjoy it.
We hope Ecstasy is still rocking the Funky Beat, wherever he may be.
John “Ecstasy” Fletcher
(June 7, 1964 – December 23, 2020)
© 12/23/2020
