Weldon Irvine
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Weldon Irvine (October 27, 1943 - April 9, 2002), also known as Master Wel, was an African American composer, playwright, poet, and pianist. He served as the bandleader for jazz singer Nina Simone and was a mentor to many New York hip-hop artists, including Q-Tip and Mos Def. He wrote over 500 songs, of which the best-known is "To Be Young, Gifted, and Black."
Irvine's last major project was the 1999 release The Price of Freedom, a compilation of original songs by hip-hop, jazz, funk, and R&B artists to respond to the shooting of Amadou Diallo. Irvine committed suicide outside a New York office building in 2002.
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