The Rappin Duke Talks Impact Biggie Had On Him, Russell Simmons Beef, Meeting Muhammad Ali + MORE

Way back in 1984, when Hip-Hop was still a young genre, The "Rappin' Duke" emerged as one of the most popular in a cast of characters the fledgling genre had to offer. Shawn Brown gained prominence in the mid-1980s with his releases under this alias. One of his most notable tracks was the 1984 Hip-Hop novelty classic titled "Rappin' Duke," which was later immortalized by the late, great Notorious B.I.G. The song's concept revolves around the idea that the late actor John Wayne, also known as "The Duke," is a rapper. By the time the song hit, Wayne had passed away (1979) By adopting Wayne's persona, The Rappin' Duke parodies the essences of rap at the time -bragging and boasting about how bad you are. He also spoke of his superior rhymes and flow compared to some of the greats like Run DMC and Kurtis Blow. Even though it was meant as humor, Russell Simmons didn't find it funny. Brown, a comedian at the time, talks all about the trials he has faced as a self-proclaimed "one-hit wonder" and what happened when he tried to bury his alter ego once and for all. He has Biggie to thanks. This is first interview he's ever done. Chuck "Jigsaw" Creekmur talks to him about his hilarious time with Muhammad Ali, the Goat, Stevie Wonder, New Edition and touring with the best of the best in Hip-Hop at the time. He also talks about making no money off of his top charting hit record, "Rappin' Duke." #rappinduke #shawnbrown #biggiesmalls #notoriousbig #ChuckCreekmur #allhiphoptv