GRAMMY-nominated hip hop producer and sound engineer Bob Power has died aged 73
Power worked on iconic records from the likes of D’Angelo, Erykah Badu, J Dilla and A Tribe Called Quest
Legendary producer and audio engineer Bob Power, known for his work on iconic hip hop records, has died aged 73.
Power's death was confirmed by a funeral listing in Maryland, US, which notes that the musician died on March 1. No cause of death has been given.
Born in Chicago in 1952, Power first became interested in music as a child after his sister was gifted a guitar. Power went on to study music at Webster University in St. Louis, Missouri, where he formed R&B outfit New Direction.
After leaving university, Power moved to California where he began composing music for PBS, creating the score for the US broadcaster's series Over Easy, alongside commercials for Coca-Cola, Hertz, Intel and Mercedes Benz.
In 1982, Power moved to New York where he was later approached by the owner of Garment District studio Calliope Productions to assist as an engineer on Stetsasonic's debut album 'On Fire' — which was released via Tommy Boy Records in 1986.
From here, Power formed a relationship with a number of figures in the early hip hop scene, including rap collective Native Tongues, which consisted of groups Black Sheep, De La Soul, Jungle Brothers and A Tribe Called Quest.
In 1990, Power worked alongside A Tribe Called Quest on their seminal album 'The Low End Theory', before he took up a role at Sony Music where he produced for artists such as The Roots, D'Angelo, J Dilla and Erykah Badu.
Bob Power would go on to earn two GRAMMY nominations for his work on Me'shell Ndegeocello's 'Peace Beyond Passion' in 1996 and India Arie's 'Acoustic Soul' in 2001.
In later life, Power became a professor at New York University's Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music, and a regular face at the Red Bull Music Academy (RBMA), at which he delivered several speeches and even a tutorial on studio mixing.
As part of his funeral listing, Power has asked for any floral tributes to be omitted and instead for those wanting to pay tribute to donate to National Public Radio (NPR) in his memory.
Killer Mike, Erykah Badu and Questlove have paid tribute to Bob Power, with the latter writing on Instagram: "You could NOT encounter a more engaging, enthusiastic, laser-focused craftsman of sound and sonics. Bob was our training wheels for how to present music. I’m so devastated by his passing."
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