Tip o’ the 40 for Our Dead Homie

^{Let this man tell you about letters}

Far Rockaway's a schlep (long trek, non Yidophiles) from the Greater Boston area, but Rammellzee's influence extended from a nook in Queens to the whole hip hop game. Part graffiti artist, part rap pioneer, and a figure in film on the topic (he got major exposure in Charlie Ahearn's Wild Style, and his song "Beat Bop" was featured prominently in the doc on hip hop culture, Style Wars), Rammellzee was in the thick of the early hip hop scene. Buddy Jean-Michel Basquiat (yes, that Jean-Michel) even illustrated the album cover for "Beat Bop." Born in Queens, died in Queens (at 49, from a long illness, says wife), man was hardcore. How hardcore? His name has a sigma in it -- RAMMΣLLZΣΣ. And he dressed like this. Though his given name has been kept under wraps, with his death, a more pressing question has surfaced: what will his gravestone look like?