did you know?

• Whodini was a Brooklyn-born rap group that rose to fame in 1982.

• Their second album Escape was the first Hip Hop album to go double platinum. It had five singles that topped the chart, "Freaks Come Out at Night," "Five Minutes of Funk," "Friends," "Big Mouth," and "Escape."

• The rappers Jalil Hutchins and John "Ecstasy" Fletcher were part of the original artists signed to Jive Records and managed by Russel Simmons.

• Turntable artist Dj Drew Carter, aka Grandmaster Dee, was also a part of the trio.

• They were part of the first-ever Hip Hop tour, "Fresh Fest" in 1984. Other acts included The Fat Boys, Kurtis Blow, Run DMC, etc. John "Ecstasy" Fletcher's leather Zorro style hat became a Whodini Trademark.

• While most bands were wearing sweatsuits, they wore silky sportswear, leather shorts, and sunglasses.

• Whodini, LL Cool J, Public Enemy, and the Beastie Boys were part of Run DMC's tour, "Raising Hell." It is one of the top fifty concerts in the last fifty years, according to Rolling Stone Magazine.

• They had messages in their songs that are still relevant today.

• They were sampled by artists such as 2Pac, Nas, Ice Cube, Snoop Dogg, Jermaine Dupri, Public Enemy, and Kid Rock.

• Whodini was nominated for two Soul Train Awards for Best Rap Album and Best Rap Single.

• They were one of VH1's Hip Hop Honorees in 2007. In 2012 they were presented with "The Icon Award" by the Underground Music Awards and inducted into the Long Island Music Hall of Fame.

• They had six studio albums and 14 singles to hit the Billboard charts.

• Four albums were certified Platinum by RIAA.