Fred Brathwaite, more popularly known as Fab 5 Freddy, is an American visual artist, filmmaker, and hip hop pioneer. He emerged in New York's downtown underground creative scene in the late 1970s as a camera operator and a regular guest on Glenn O'Brien's public access cable show TV Party. There he met Chris Stein and Debbie Harry. He was immortalized in 1981 when Harry rapped on the Blondie song "Rapture" that "Fab 5 Freddy told me everybody's fly." In the late 1980s, Fab 5 Freddy became the first host of the groundbreaking and first internationally telecast hip-hop music video show Yo! MTV Raps.
| Birth name: | Fred Brathwaite |
| Born: | Aug 31, 1959 |
| Origin: | Bedford–Stuyvesant, New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Genres: | Hip hop |
| Occupation(s): | Visual artist, filmmaker |
| Years active: | 1978–present |
| Associated acts: | The Fabulous 5 |
| IMDb: | Fab Five Freddy's IMDb |
About Fab Five Freddy
Known best for his 1982 hit R&B track "Change the Beat," this rapper and songwriter also became famous as a member of a Brooklyn graffiti artists' group called The Fabulous 5.
Before Fame
Early in his career, he worked as a film cameraman and also appeared on a Glenn O'Brien-hosted television program called TV Party.
Achievement
He directed hip hop artist Nas's 1994 "One Love" music video.
Family Life
Born Fred Brathwaite, he grew up in Brooklyn, New York as the son of jazz music enthusiast parents.
Associations
He is mentioned in a lyric in the Deborah Harry and Blondie song "Rapture."
Information related to Fab Five Freddy
- American graffiti artists
- VJs (media personalities)
- American filmmakers
- African-American artists
