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Rapper Melle Mel

Fresh Air

Published January 31, 2003 at 12:00 AM EST

When the hit rap song "The Message" by Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five came out 20 years ago, many rappers regarded it as an inspiration as well as a political message. Now "The Message" has been selected as one of the greatest songs of all time by the Library of Congress, and has been added to the National Recording Registry. Melle Mel was the original vocalist on the song. This interview first aired August 4, 1992.