Videos by According2HipHop
The hip-hop world has lost one of its early trailblazers. Keith Caesar, better known as Keith Keith of the legendary Bronx group Funky 4 + 1, has died at the age of 64.
According to his family, Caesar passed away Friday due to medical complications.
Keith Keith helped make hip-hop history as a member of Funky 4 + 1, the first hip-hop group to perform on Saturday Night Live. The group took the stage on Valentine’s Day in 1981 after being introduced by Debbie Harry, giving hip-hop rare national television exposure during the culture’s early years.
Born on Feb. 15, 1962, Caesar grew up in the Bronx with four siblings and remained a lifelong resident of the borough. At the time of his passing, he was living at the Frederick Houses in Morris Heights.
Through his work with Funky 4 + 1, Keith Keith played a role in helping take hip-hop from its Bronx roots to a much larger audience, leaving behind an important legacy in the culture’s history.
He is survived by his brother, Kevin Caesar, also known as Caesar the Poet.
