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Rapper Melle Mel

When the hit rap song "The Message" by Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five came out 20 years ago, many rappers regarded it as an inspiration as well as a political message. Now "The Message" has been selected as one of the greatest songs of all time by the Library of Congress, and has been added to the National Recording Registry. Melle Mel was the original vocalist on the song. This interview first aired August 4, 1992.

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Other segments from the episode on January 31, 2003

Fresh Air with Terry Gross, January 31, 2003: Commentary on Norman Mailer; Interview with Norman Mailer; Interview with Melle Mel; Review of two new television series ABC’s “Dragnet,” and NBC 
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15:37

Writer Norman Mailer

His books, including The Naked and the Dead, Armies of the Night and The Executioner's Song, have established him as one of America's most important authors. We'll talk about his career, and his work. His new book is The Spooky Art, to be released today, on his 80th birthday. This interview first aired October 8, 1991. reviews two new series: ABC’s “Dragnet,” and NBC’s “Kingpin.” Both premiere Sunday.

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Transcripts are created on a rush deadline, and accuracy and availability may vary. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Please be aware that the authoritative record of Fresh Air interviews and reviews are the audio recordings of each segment.

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