The first UK rapper to appear in the British music charts, Derek B, has died of a heart attack, aged 44.
Born Derek Boland in 1965, the rapper began DJing in London at 15, before moving onto pirate radio. His first recording was a track called 'Rock The Beat', rapping under the pseudonym EZQ. It was produced for US hip hop compilation 'Def Beats 1' after the makers of that compo found they were short one track.
After that Boland had top twenty hits with the tracks 'Good Groove' and 'Bad Young Brother' and co-wrote 'Anfield Rap' for Liverpool Football Club. Subsequently he moved into production and A&R.