Various media sources are reporting the recent deaths of two artists – CLAUDIA FONTAINE and CRAIG MACK.
Ms Fontaine was a London born singer who died aged just 57. She began her music career working in the reggae/lovers rock idiom. In 1982 she joined the group La Famile which also featured Caron Wheeler. They enjoyed a disco hit with ‘Dancer’, followed by the acclaimed ‘All Night Long’. The following year Claudia joined Raymond Simpson in Raymond and Claudia; then she was part of the Afrodiziak collective – an in-demand backing group. Claudia then went on to work with people like The Jam, Annie Lennox, Elvis Costello and The Attractions, Betty Boo, Dusty Springfield, Claudia Brücken, Julia Fordham, Marilyn, Pink Floyd, Madness, Neneh Cherry, The Specials, Heaven 17, Hothouse Flowers and Howard Jones. She also sang on ‘Free Nelson Mandela’ and was the lead vocalist on The Beatmasters’ hit singles ‘Warm Love’ (1989) and ‘Deeper Into Harmony’ (1992).
Rapper Craig Mack, one of the artists who laid the foundation for Bad Boy Records, has died aged just 46. Former marketing director of Bad Boy, Michelle Joyce, confirmed his passing, adding that Craig had been ill for some time. Mack’s death comes just days after the 21st anniversary of the death of his label mate Christopher Wallace, the rapper known as Biggie Smalls (a.k.a. The Notorious B.I.G.)
Born in Queens, New York, Craig Mack will be best remembered for his ‘Flava In Ya Ear’ – the first single on Bad Boy. Former president of Bad Boy, Kirk Burrowes opined,“It’s not only one of the greatest debut singles in hip hop history, it launched a label.” Bad Boy did, of course, go, on to huge success with people like Notorious B.I.G., Lil Kim, Mase, Faith Evans, 112 and Total.
Craig eventually retired from music and appeared to renounce his old lifestyle. In a video posted on You Tube in 2012 he is seen being asked during a church service what he used to do when he was in the world:”Wickedness and rap,” Mack said. In answer to the question “What are you doing now?” Mack responded, “Righteousness.”
