Keith LeBlanc, the iconic drummer known for his producing work with Nine Inch Nails and more, has died at 70.
His death was first reported his record label, On-U Sound, although a cause or further details have not yet been provided. LeBlanc was born in Connecticut in 1954. He first took interest in the drums when he saw Ringo Starr from The Beatles playing them on TV.
The artist got his start as a drummer with Sugarhill Records in the early '80s. He collaborated with bass player Doug Wimbish and guitarist Skip "Little Axe" McDonald to form the Sugarhill House Band.
They worked with rap artists like the Sugarhill Gang on "Rapper's Delight," as well as Grandmaster Flash and Melle Mel on "The Message" and "Freedom." Throughout their time together from 1987 to 2014, they released four albums together as the pioneering hip hop group Tackhead.
He made history with one of the very first sample-based song releases. His hip hop track "No Sell Out" used several audio clips of Malcolm X's voice placed over a beat. The track was an instant success, dominating the U.K. charts at the time of its debut.
LeBlanc was frequently associated with his work as a producer for Nine Inch Nails, serving as a major producer for songs like "Head Like a Hole" and "Down in It," along with mixing the sound for various other tracks.
Aside from producing albums for Nine Inch Nails, LeBlanc also worked as a producer and mixer for Living Colour, Peter Gabriel, The Cure, and Ministry.
As a drummer and programmer, LeBlanc collaborated with music industry greats like James Brown, The Rolling Stones, Annie Lennox, Tina Turner, Sinead O'Connor, R.E.M., The Stone Roses, Bryan Ferry, Depeche Mode, and more.
LeBlanc also worked as a solo artist, releasing his debut album, Major Malfunction, in 1986. His other solo albums included Stranger Than Fiction (1989), Invisible Spike (1991), Raw (1990), Time Traveller (1992), Freakatorium (1999), and Stop the Confusion (Global Interference) (2005).
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