Derek B is the first UK rap star

There had been British hip-hop hits before – Pump Up the Volume by Marrs; Cookie Crew and Beatmasters – but in Derek Boland, the country found its first hit rap artist. Two singles – Good Groove and Bad Young Brother – made the top 20, and his debut album, Bullet From a Gun, just missed the top 10. He was the one of the first rappers to appear on Top of the Pops and his UK success secured him the services of Russell Simmons as manager. He wasn't always credible, however, receiving criticism for rapping in an American accent, while he co-wrote and produced Liverpool's 1988 FA Cup final record. Boland died, aged 44, in 2009.