Spoonie Gee

 Spoonie Gee, born Gabriel Jackson on May 27, 1963, is an American rapper known for being one of the earliest pioneers of hip hop. He is also credited with coining the term "hip hop" and his music served as a precursor to gangsta rap.

Jackson grew up in Harlem, New York City, where he received his nickname "Spoonie" because he used spoons as his only eating utensils. His mother passed away when he was 12 years old and he went to live with his uncle, Bobby Robinson, a record producer, who introduced him to the world of rap.

Spoonie's first recording was "Spoonin' Rap," released on Peter Brown's Sound of New York, USA imprint, which featured lyrics with jailhouse references that would later become common in gangsta rap. He then went on to record for Robinson's Enjoy! Records and became a founding member of the Treacherous Three along with L.A. Sunshine and Kool Moe Dee.

After leaving Enjoy!, Spoonie moved to Sugar Hill Records where he had hits with "Spoonie's Back" and the collaboration with the Sequence on "Monster Jam". In 1985, he moved again to Aaron Fuchs' Tuff City label where he released most of his later work, including "That's My Style," in which he attacked Schoolly D for copying his style.

Spoonie Gee's career took off again in 1987 with the release of his debut album, The Godfather of Rap, produced by Marley Marl and Teddy Riley and issued on the Tuff City label. However, his career was subsequently hampered by several spells in prison.

In the mid-1990s, a compilation of his work, Godfather of Hip Hop, was released on the Ol' Skool Flava label. In the mid-2000s, he returned with a new EP, The Boss Is Back.

Some of Spoonie Gee's most popular singles include "Spoonin' Rap," "Love Rap," "Monster Jam," "Spoonie Is Back," and "The Big Beat." In 2008, "Love Rap" was ranked number 65 on VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of Hip Hop.

Spoonie Gee's contributions to hip hop have been significant, and he remains a respected figure in the genre to this day.