Hip-hop has lost a foundational member. Keith Leblanc, the drummer who made his name on classic singles from the likes of Grandmaster Flash and the Sugarhill Gang, has passed away. Leblanc’s death was attributed to an undisclosed illness, according to his widow, Fran. He was 69 years old. Despite not being a household name, Leblanc’s career was lengthy, and his list of iconic collaborators was celebrated by his former label, On-U Sound. The label dubbed the drummer an “incredible” producer and “musical maverick” in a written statement.
Leblanc’s genre contributions cannot be overstated. He was the in-house drummer for Sugar Hill Records in the late 1970s, which led to group and solo innovations. He appeared on the Sugarhill Gang tracks “8th Wonder” and “Apache,” which were some of the earliest examples of hip-hop receiving mainstream attention. Leblanc’s playing style led to him drumming on hit recordings by Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, Kool Moe Dee & the Treacherous 3, and the Cash Crew. He also wrote and produced the 1983 single “No Sell Out” under the name Malcolm X. “No Sell Out” is one of the earliest instances of sample-based composing in popular music.
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Keith Leblanc Wrote The Hip-Hop Classic “No Sell Out”
Leblanc continued to experiment as his career progressed. Once his time at Sugar Hill Records came to an end, the drummer joined the industrial band Tackhead. Tackhead never achieved mainstream success but their blending of dub and hip-hop music have since made them a cult band. However, Leblanc found tremendous success as a session musician during the 1990s. He drummed on the Nine Inch Nails album Pretty Hate Machine, as well as the Tina Turner release Wildest Dreams. He also recorded six albums as a member of the blues-rock outfit Little Axe.
Leblanc loved what he did, and took every opportunity he could to make it known. During a 2023 interview with Burning Ambulance, the drummer took a moment to reflect on all he had achieved, and how much fun he had along the way. “I got a chance to meet a lot of my heroes, and they never disappointed me, you know,” he stated. “I’m really glad — I’m fortunate to have been in the right place at the right time for most of my career.” Leblanc will get more of his deserved flowers in due time, as historian Jay Quan is working on a documentary about the drummer’s career.
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