Ms. Melodie of Boogie Down Productions dies

The hip hop community is mourning the loss of one of its pioneers, Ms. Melodie, who died Wednesday.

Born Ramona Parker, she was brought up in Brooklyn, New York and was a member of the prominent hip hop group, Boogie Down Productions.

Ms. Melodie is most famous for her 1988 single “Hype According to Ms. Melodie”. She only released one album in 1989 entitled Diva on Jive Records, via The Urban Daily.

She also is the ex-wife of hip hop legend, KRS-One.

According to Global Grind, her most memorable performance was on her single “Self Destruction”, released in 1989 and she made a cameo in Queen Latifah’s video, “Ladies First”.

"I’m Ms. Melodie and I’m a born again rebel/The violence in rap must cease and seckle/If we want to develop and grow to another level/We can’t be guinea pigs for the devil/The enemy know, they’re no fools/Because everyone knows that hip-hop rules/So we gotta get a grip and grab what’s wrong/The opposition is weak and rap is strong," she sang in “Self Destruction."

Ms. Melodie leaves behind two sons and the cause of her death has yet to be determined. Rest in peace, Ms. Melodie.