Long-running hip-hop collective Arrested Development have lost one of their key members, as spiritual elder Baba Oje has passed away. Often referred to as the "oldest man in hip-hop," Oje died on Friday (October 26) after a long battle with acute leukemia. He was 87.
The band's Speech wrote a tribute to Oje on Saturday, saying, "Baba was the oldest member of any hip-hop collective and his mere presence in rap spoke volumes for the genre and for a generation looking for symbolic wisdom and answers. He was an activist for the homeless, a military veteran, a world traveller, spiritual advisor to the group, strict vegan, dancer, vocalist and avid roller skater."
Speech continued, "I met Baba hanging with the young dudes while I was in college, he was always super cool and always willing to talk to the youth! I gathered up the nerve to ask him to be in my hip-hop group, he at first said no. But he later reconsidered when he thought about the fact that a young black man was striving to start a positive rap thing.
"However, we both found out that this partnership was bigger than we even knew. We both learned later that Baba knew my parents and in fact, was the best man in my mother and fathers wedding way before I was even thought of! That's the spiritual bond we shared, he was literally like family to me, I will miss him terribly."
Read Speech's tributes to Oje below. A memorial service is being planned for November 2.
The band's Speech wrote a tribute to Oje on Saturday, saying, "Baba was the oldest member of any hip-hop collective and his mere presence in rap spoke volumes for the genre and for a generation looking for symbolic wisdom and answers. He was an activist for the homeless, a military veteran, a world traveller, spiritual advisor to the group, strict vegan, dancer, vocalist and avid roller skater."
Speech continued, "I met Baba hanging with the young dudes while I was in college, he was always super cool and always willing to talk to the youth! I gathered up the nerve to ask him to be in my hip-hop group, he at first said no. But he later reconsidered when he thought about the fact that a young black man was striving to start a positive rap thing.
"However, we both found out that this partnership was bigger than we even knew. We both learned later that Baba knew my parents and in fact, was the best man in my mother and fathers wedding way before I was even thought of! That's the spiritual bond we shared, he was literally like family to me, I will miss him terribly."
Read Speech's tributes to Oje below. A memorial service is being planned for November 2.