Last Wednesday (10/5), when news broke that songwriter Rod Temperton passed away after a battle with cancer, the music industry mourned. Mr. Temperton is responsible for writing some of the most memorable songs of all-time. And while he was dubbed “The Invisible Man,” because he rarely did press, it is impossible for his contribution to music to go unnoticed.
In addition to a variety of other accolades, he is responsible for writing “Thriller” and “Rock With You” for Michael Jackson. But his story did not begin and end with the King of Pop. Temperton was born and raised in England and after answering an ad for a keyboard player, he became a member of the band Heatwave. His work with that funk/disco group caught the attention of Quincy Jones, who then reached out to him to help write music for Michael. After the earth-shattering success of Jackson’s solo career, Temperton’s work continued to thrive as well.
His other writing credits include, among many more, notable works for George Benson, Anita Baker, Lionel Richie, and Donna Summer.
In honor of Rod Temperton and his undeniable legacy, AllHipHop has compiled a list of 10 Hip-Hop records which Temperton played a part in. While he may be gone, he will never be forgotten.
Rest in power, sir.