Kool Moe Dee
| Kool Moe Dee | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Mohandas Dewese |
| Born | August 8, 1962 |
| Origin | Trenton, New Jersey, United States |
| Genres | Hip hop, new jack swing |
| Occupation(s) | Rapper |
| Years active | 1976—present |
| Labels | Jive, BMG Records |
| Associated acts | Treacherous Three, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, LL Cool J |
Mohandas Dewese (born August 8, 1962), better known by his stage name Kool Moe Dee, is an American hip hop MC prominent in the late 1970s through the early 1990s. He was one of the first rappers to earn a Grammy Award and was the first rapper to perform at the Grammys.
Dewese was born in Manhattan, New York City. He holds a B.A. degree from the State University of New York College at Old Westbury.
In the late 1970s, Kool Moe Dee met Special K, DJ Easy Lee, and LA Sunshine to form the influential hip hop group the Treacherous Three, which was signed to Enjoy Records. In 1981, Kool Moe Dee performed an onstage roast of party rapper Busy Bee Starski.
In 1981, The Treacherous Three moved to Sugar Hill Records along with another Enjoy Records act, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five. The Treacherous Three became well known for their singles "Feel the Heart Beat" and "Action", and their song "The New Rap Language" (with Spoonie G) earned Kool Moe Dee the distinction of inventing the "double time flow", which involved rapid sixteenth-note rhythms, with a lot of internal rhyme. The Treacherous Three were featured in the 1984 movie Beat Street, performing the song "Santa's Rap" with Doug E. Fresh.
In 1985, the Treacherous Three disbanded. After leaving the group, Kool Moe Dee attended the State University of New York at Old Westbury, where he received a degree in communications. In 1986, he went solo, releasing a self-titled album that ranked 83 on Billboard. He co-operated with the young producer Teddy Riley which contributed greatly to the new jack swing movement that would gain popularity in the years to follow.
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