Henry Jackson, better known as Big Bank Hank of the Sugarhill Gang, died early Tuesday morning at Englewood Hospital in New Jersey from complications due to cancer. The news — first reported by TMZ — was confirmed to HuffPost Entertainment by David Mallie, business manager for Sugarhill Gang members Michael “Wonder Mike” Wright and Guy “Master Gee” O’Brien. Jackson was 57 years old.
In a statement to HuffPost Entertainment via Mallie, Wright and O’Brien expressed sorrow and condolences: “So sad to hear of our brother’s passing. The three of us created musical history together with the release of ‘Rapper’s Delight.’ We will always remember traveling the world together and rocking the house. Rest in peace Big Bank.”
The Sugarhill gang formed in the late ’70s and was best-known for the 1979 hit single, “Rapper’s Delight.”
DJ Funkmaster Flex was among the many people to pay tribute to Jackson:
With his release from Bellevue Hospital in Manhattan, the United States is currently Ebola free! Dr. Craig Spencer spent 19 days at New York’s Bellevue Hospital, and he is now cured from the disease.
Republicans who used the disease as a fear mechanism to win control of Congress must now look for another way to keep their base afraid!
In a press conference this morning, New York’s mayor Bill DeBlasio thanked the doctor for his tremendous sacrifice and his willingness to put his life in danger to treat the disease at its source. Mr. DeBlasio said that we thank our military when they put their uniform on to protect us, so we should do the same when doctors put on a different uniform to fight diseases at the source, ultimately helping the US.
I said throughout this crisis we honor our men and women in uniform when they go overseas to protect us, Doctor Spencer was wearing a different uniform with the same exact mission – to help people everywhere and to protect people here.
The mayor also asked that the truth be told about Ebola, a clear hit at Republicans and the entire crew at Fox News.
Let’s just spread truth and honest information about Ebola. Let’s get rid of the misinformation. Let’s spread the truth that this is a very hard disease to contact [SIC].
For his part, the 33 year old doctor spoke about the importance of following the protocol for controlling Ebola, and he credits that protocol for his survival. Doctor Spencer also spoke about his 5 weeks working in West Africa.
“During this time, I cried as I held children who were not strong enough to survive the virus,” he said. “But I also experienced immense joy when patients I treated were cured, and invited me into their family as a brother upon discharge.”
He went on to say that when he was diagnosed with Ebola, “many of these same patients called my personal cell phone from Guinea to wish me well and ask if there was anyway that they could contribute to my care.”
The doctor then urged all to remember the doctors and nurses in Guinea, who watch their friends and families die from Ebola as they do all they can to treat other Ebola victims in their communities. “They are the true heroes that we are not talking about,” the Doctor said.
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