Ms. Melodie Dies at Age 43

Ms. Melodie, a rap pioneer who made her name as part of Boogie Down Productions and delivered a memorable verse on the 1989 classic "Self-Destruction," died Tuesday at age 43, according to the New York Daily News.

There's no word on what caused Ms. Melodie's death, but friends and fans took to Twitter to remember her.  Russell Simmons wrote, "RIP Ms. Melodie. a dope MC..." and Questlove tweeted on Thursday that he'd do a DJ set in her honor. 

Monie Love, who tweeted about spending time with Ms. Melodie in earlier days, called on hip-hop fans to spread the word about the late rapper.  "Thank you EVERYONE on twitter 4your coming together. Hip Hop preservationists thank you..." Monie tweeted after users began updating their timelines with news of Ms. Melodie's passing.

Born Ramona Scott, Ms. Melodie was a Brooklyn native and was married to KRS-One in 1987 and later joined his group Boogie Down Productions.  KRS-One produced much of Ms. Melodie's solo work, including her only album, 1989's Diva, which featured the noteworthy hits "Wake Up, Wake Up" and "Live On Stage."  Ms. Melodie remained associated with the Boogie Down crew until she and KRS-One divorced in 1992.