Pionering British rapper MC Duke has passed at the age of 58 from an unknown illness. Duke hailed from the East End of London, and is considered a pioneer in early British Hip-Hop. After an impromptu MC battle at the DMC World Championships, Duke caught the attention of Music of Life A&R rep DJ Derek B (who passed in 2009).

Derek B introduced Duke to label founder Simon Harris who signed him upon hearing him rhyme in person. Duke debuted in 1987 with "Jus-Dis" on the Music of Life compilation Hard as Hell.

Harris posted news of Duke's passing in a Facebook post earlier today (4/21), "[MC Duke was] known as a dancer and model, and at the start he used to hang out with us at the office in Hanway Street, working with us on all kinds of day to day stuff and eventually we went in the studio and recorded his first track, ‘Jus Dis’ which got a great reception, back then supported by Mike Allen (RIP), and we went on to do loads of tracks together, lots of singles and albums, and we went to New York and he held his own against the very best at the Rap battles at the New Music Seminar.",

Harris wrote further, "He did Top of the Pops ‘Bass’ with me, was on many other shows, Sinead O Connor asked for him as support on her shows multiple times, he became known for his Radio 1 jingles for Jeff Young, produced many other artists, then he went on to do really well on rave tracks with Suburban Base."

Rest In Peace MC Duke.