Rapobit: Derek B

Derek B, who has died from a heart attack, was a successful British rapper when it was quite a challenge.

The B was short for Boland; he dropped the 'Oland when starting his career at just 15 with Good Groove and Bad Young Brother. Although both tracks made it to the top 20 - taking him onto Top Of The Pops - he never managed to sustain success as a performer and switched instead to A&R and production.



A slightly more shameful contribution to popular culture came with his co-authoring of The Anfield Rap, Liverpool's 1988 FA Cup single:

He gives us stick about the north/south divide
'cause they got the jobs
Yeah, but we got the side

Perhaps that wasn't one of Derek's lines.

Derek B was 44; he is survived by his mother, Jenny.