The Pop Corporation

One of the finest to do it, one of Detroit’s finest musicians, Amp Fiddler has sadly passed away, aged 65.

He’s been described as “the king of the new era of Detroit soul”, and his music incorporated a number of influences and styles, from honey-dipped electronics, to hard funk, to soul, hip hop, house, collaborating with Dilla, Prince, Moodymann, Theo Parrish and George Clinton – he was a musical heavyweight, and his debut Waltz of a Ghetto Fly in 2004 was an instant classic.

He’d suffered from an undisclosed illness, and last year, he launched a crowdfunder to “support his continued healing as he journeys back to the stage.”

If his legacy was in any doubt, it’s Fiddler who taught J Dilla how to use the MPC, which of course, he would go onto reinvent. He’d also tutor Q-Tip from A Tribe Called Quest.

Outside of his own musical output, he set up Camp Amp, which helped kids to get involved in the music biz, started in Los Angeles, before he moved it back to Detroit with himself.

A huge influence, a massive talent. Rest easy. x