MC Ice-Ice, formerly of Cosmic Force and Universal Zulu Nation, has died.

James ‘Ice-Ice’ Parker was a founding member of Cosmic Force, the early 1980s hip-hop ensemble who recorded for Winley Records. He was also a central member of Afrika Bambaataa’s hip-hop crew/campaign organization/pressure group Universal Zulu Nation.

Both he and Cosmic Force remain best known for their seminal 1980 single ‘Zulu Nation Throwdown’, the first major breakthrough track from Bambaataa’s Soulsonic Force collective. The track remains one of the most infectious transmissions from hip-hop’s salad days, and a crucial milestone in the development of one of the genre’s most iconic institutions.

Details of how and when Parker passed away remain obscure (as, indeed, does much of his post-‘Zulu Nation Throwdown’ output). You can watch ‘Zulu Nation Throwdown’ below. [via HipHopDX]