Respect to Funken Klein

Today's the 13th anniversary of Funken-Klein's passing after losing his battle with cancer.

Truth be told, we didn't really know each other, but he went out of his way to help me one time and for that I want to say "big up" to Funken-Klein...

NMS I first met Dave Funken-Klein on my first trip to New York at the legendary New Music Seminar. Imagine taking the DMC DJ champs, throwing in some freestyle MC battles and then adding a sprinkle of music industry workshops. The NMS was the model for many music conferences that followed including the Winter Music Conference in Miami.

Funken-Klein was one of the few white guys at the NMS (and on the hip-hop scene) who knew everyone. The other bloke being Tom Silverman who created the New Music Seminar and is better known as the man behind Tommy Boy records.

South Central, Bristol Anyway, fast forward some time and shift the location to Bristol. I'm at an Ice-T gig at the Bierkeller with video camera in hand. When the promoter takes the tape I'm a bit, hmm, shall we say "annoyed". So I spot Funken-Klein who's part of the Ice-T's entourage and reach out to him to sort out my little hassle.

The story has a happy ending as I have the VHS video in my collection complete with Darlene (ex-Mrs Ice-T) in full glory wearing her infamous swimsuit ;) You know the one...like on Ice-T's album covers!

So who was Funken-Klein? Music industry cat working for Def Jam and Red Alert Productions, journalist for The Source and The Bomb and label head at Disney's Hollywood Basic in Los Angeles.

RIP Funken-Klein! Old Skool B-Boy 4 Life.