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Robert Reed (Dyke), who played keyboards for Trouble Funk, died on Sunday April 13, 2008 at 10:42 pm in Arlington, VA. He was 50 and lived in Greenbelt, Md. The cause of his death was pancreatic cancer, said his brother Taylor, who played trumpet in the band.
This is a heavy blow to those of us who knew, loved and frequented Trouble Funk shows back in the day!
Influenced by Sly Stone, the Ohio Players and other leading funk bands of the era, Trouble Funk had a playful, futuristic style that brought go-go closer to the rap sound that was then emerging in New York. Famous as a tight live band, it played shows that routinely lasted for hours.
Mr. Reed, whose stage name was Syke Dyke, toyed with his keyboards to create flashy electronic noises that could resemble science-fiction sound effects. Tony Fisher, Mr. Reed’s childhood friend who was called Big Tony, played bass and acted as the “talker,” sing-speaking repetitive, call-and-response phrases to whip up both band (“Hey, fellas, do you want to take time out to get close to the ladies?”) and crowd (“Get on up!”).
Early on Trouble Funk was adopted by tastemaking D.J.’s like Afrika Bambaataa, who played its records alongside rap and electronic tracks. The group worked with ’80s rap stars like Kurtis Blow, and certain Trouble Funk songs have become among the most sampled sounds in hip-hop history, used by LL Cool J, the Beastie Boys, Boogie Down Productions and Will Smith, among many others.
Trouble Funk’s first album, “Drop the Bomb,” was issued in 1982 on Sugar Hill Records, the New York label that dominated early hip-hop. Along with other groups like E.U. and Rare Essence, Trouble Funk outlasted disco, and for a time in the ’80s, go-go was poised to become a mainstream hit. The group toured the globe and was signed to Island Records, home of Bob Marley and U2.
But as with many go-go groups, its kinetic energy as a live act did not translate into hit singles. After two albums on Island that received lukewarm responses, “Saturday Night. Live! From Washington DC” (1985) and “Trouble Over Here Trouble Over There” (1987), the band ceased recording, though it continued to perform, particularly in Washington.
Mr. Reed was born in Newport News, VA., and later moved with his five siblings to Washington, where his mother worked as a nurse. He graduated from Howard University with a degree in music and had recently worked at Bowie State University in Bowie, Md., instructing students in recording technology.
In addition to his brother Taylor, his survivors include two other brothers, Ernest and Melvin; two sisters, Sheila and Toni; his wife, Sheila; a son, Robert Jr.; and a daughter, Angela.
Condolences & Comments!
You were the best man. R.I.P.
M$M
Thank You For Your Comment & Your Support M$M!
OSGOGO & GoGo Adz Staff
Dam I had no Idea my man had passed. Without him there is no
Trouble Funk. No disrespect to the rest of the group, but dam he used to go real
hard. Rest in Peace Hommie you are dearly missed. I wish I would have known I would
have attended his services.
Thank You For Your Comment & Your Support!
OSGOGO & GoGo Adz Staff
R.I.P young! lil-mike 0f Waldorf, MD
Thank You For Your Comment & Your Support Mike!
OSGOGO & GoGo Adz Staff
YES, I REMEMBER DYKE IN THE 80'S. WOW JUST READING ALONG DIDN'T
KNOW HE HAD PASSED! MAY GOD BLESS HIS SOUL......................!!!!!!!!!ZINA
Thank You For Your Comment & Your Support Zina!
OSGOGO & GoGo Adz Staff
Because of the Trouble Funk sound we have been able to unite
the world through dance for 40 years. Peace and condolences to all our old school
GOGO family. Always love you Dyke.
Respect Tony gogo
Rest in peace my brother! You still live! Through the music!
REST IN PEACE DYKE!!!
FROM THE CLASS BAND & NEXXX LEVEL!!!
Thank You All For Your Comment & Your Support!
OSGOGO & GoGo Adz Staff
Rest in peace my brother. Your sound will forever shape the
Go-Go community. Trouble Funk was one of my favorite bands back in the day, Drop the
Bomb was my cut!!!
RIP, and our prayers are with you and your family!!!
Drop The Bomb was my cut too!!! Thank You For Your Comment & Your Support!
OSGOGO & GoGo Adz Staff
Rest in peace dyke you were the greatest. I followed trouble from
the Coliseum to Outdoors at Campell's barbershop in north east. If I had to sum up
dykes importance in gogo I would have to say, "genious"! Trouble along with the rest of
go-go has truly lost a pioneer. Go-Go will carry on because he will have it no other
way. DMV keep go-go alive its our music and nobody understands it like us.
Thank You For Your Comment & Your Support!
OSGOGO & GoGo Adz Staff
Great tribute, but it failed to mention his credits as a
producer on arguably the most critized and publicized hip hop album of all time, 2
Live Crew's "As Nasty As They Wanna Be" Check the credits: Robert Reid and Tony
Fisher.
I remember in Summer of '89 I was 17 yrs old working @ Murry's Steaks on Good Hope
Rd. Dyke walks in, I recognize him immediately cause Trouble was and is my all time
favorite Go-Go Band. I holler at him asking him what's up with Big Tony. Dyke
responds everybody good we still touring and producing. I'm like who yall
producing? Dyke say's 2 Live Crew, I give him a look like get the phukk outta here.
He's like I'm serious, matter fact they just sent me and Big Tony our RIAA
Certified Platinum Plaque. Now I'm like dude stop playing. So Dyke like walk
outside with me. His car parked right out front. Dude opens the door and pulls out
the Plaque! I will never forget that, I was blown. DC we made it. Rip Dyke I'm
about to go bump so Trouble right now!
Thanks for that bit of history, because we weren't aware of it! We did know that trouble produced some of the newer artists, if we're not mistaking, Beyonce's "Crazy In Love" was one. Anyone please correct us if we're wrong, and we will double check ourselves.
Thank You For Your Support!
OSGOGO & GoGo Adz Staff
He will be missed truly, but always remember that the big man
above(GOD) has other plans for him. He was probably needed somewhere else as an
Angel for GOD. May he rest in peace and always know he will always be
loved......Trouble Funk 4ever!!!!
Peace & Love MonieLove
The Trouble Funk Bank was the best Go-Go percussion band in
Washington, DC. Peace to everyone!
"Sporty Shorty", also "Syke Dyke" Rob Reed. You will be missed
but not forgot my Brotha'. I remember Trouble Funk back in the days all over DC, MD,
& VA, but especially when Dyke was a judge at the "Metro Talent Search" in the early
eighties, and he, along with other judges like, Kurtis Blow (The Breaks), Carol Lynne
Townes (99 1/2-Electric Boogaloo -movie) voted for my dance group The "Metro-City
Lockers". This is "Kool ED-D" and I'm gonna miss you my brotha'! Trouble Funk
Always!!
So sad to hear the news, Trouble Funk is my favorite go-go
band of all time and Robert "Syke Dyke" Reed was such an amazing musician..R.I.P. to
all the go-go players who have passed away......
Eamon (Nottingham,England)
Man I remember back in the day going to the Paragon uptown to
see Trouble Funk with Dyke and Big Tony rockin the mike! Dyke you and your musical
talent will truly be missed......Peace and Blessings to you............Vince Prentice
FHS 84
Hey Vince, what's going on? I hope everything is well, and I'm glad you found the site. Thanks for your support!
Sherman & OSGOGO
MY NAME IS MACIO. I MET DYKE WHEN I WAS 9 AT COLUMBIA PARK REC.
WHEN TROUBLE PERFORMED ALMOST EVERY WEEK. HE ALWAYS WENT OUT OF HIS WAY TO TAKE TIME TO TALK WITH ME. WE
ALWAYS KEPT IN TOUCH UNTIL THE DAY OF HIS PASSING. THE LAST TIME WE TALKED WAS AT
THE BLACK FAMILY REUNION, WHEN WE SAW EACH OTHER, WE BOTH HAD THAT GLOW LIKE IM SO
GLAD TO SEE YOU; ON THAT DAY HE CALLED ME HIS LITTLE BROTHER AND INVITED ME BACK
STAGE, BUT I REFUSED BECAUSE I WAS WITH MY FAMILY. DYKE, YOU WILL ALWAYS HAVE A
PLACE IN MY HEART, AND OUR MEMORIES WILL LAST FOREVER. IM GLAD YOU ARE NO LONGER
HURTING AND NOW IN PEACE. YOUR LITTLE BROTHER MACIO. HEY DYKE, REMEMBER THE DAY IN
GERMANTOWN MARYLAND WITH THE MAXIMA.
HA-HA. PEACE!
The first GoGo group I was introduced to was Trouble Funk.
This brothers (Dyke) voice and key-board riff were very distictive; complimenting
Big Tony's heavy vocal style. In the 80's coming from NY, strickly Hiphop, to VA
(R-mond) thinking the South was flat when it came ta music, Trouble Funk changed all
that. Their joint Pump Me Up, was put in the mix right along with the rest of my
break beats. May the peace and blessing of The-Gods be upon bro Dyke, a true pioneer.
I once managed Trouble Funk and worked with Sike Dyke in the
studio on an unreleased single "Do It Anyway ya wanna". Tbone, Big Tony, Chet and
the rest...my deepest heartfelt sympathies. Ronald Reid and Big Tony knew the
studio and knew how to keep the gogo sound live and riffed.
Charles Owens
Rest well my brother Dyke, rest well.
Trouble Funk was my favorite band as I started listening to
gogo. Hit em with the Supergrit and Drop the Bomb are all time classics. It's always
the masters of the crafts of gogo that seem 2 leave before we feel they should. God
bless Dyke and his family. I pray T.R.O.U.B.L.E Flat Boogie will unite and do it
big for their fallen brother. Since 81 I've been into gogo with both feet and it's
because of the band Dyke helped create. May the sound live forever!
I met Dyke back when I was in the 9th grade, he was a freshman
at Howard in the Mighty Bison Marching Band playing the trombone. Dyke was one of
the persons responsible for my sister and I interest in music. When the marching
band would practice we were right there with them. My parents knew him also, he was
such a down to earth brother that will truly be missed.
Ronnie
Though Trouble Funk may play on, it will never have the same sound
without Dyke on keyboards. I guess GOD needed Dyke to "Drop the Bomb" all over
heaven......
My condolelences to his family and friends.
T. Blake a Trouble Funk fan from way back in the day.
I used to go see Trouble with my best friend Kevin who later
became Troubles drummer for a period. Dyke hired me to take tour pictures
and was one of the funniest friendliest dudes I ever met. I will always remember
him as Syke Dyke and continue to hear his keys and raps in my heart.
Lee Jones
My name is Rick Turner I went to school with dyke at H.D.
Woodson and I was in the marching band with Dyke as well as being in a band with
him. He will be missed by all, we love you Dyke.
R I P
Now thats the gogo I remember. Trouble Funk! Rest in
Peace...To the family..Proverbs 3:5&6
DarkChocolate
I can't believe it...
I used to see "Trouble" at the Paragon on Wisconsin Avenue back in the early 80s.
What a sound... As a Howard U. alum and native Washingtonian, I am truly sorry to
hear this and I extend my deepest sympathy to the Reed family. It seems like it was
just yesterday that I was watching Robert do his thing...
Gone too too soon...
RMB III
Rest in peace and I wish the famliy my best.
Thank You
You will be missed, I thank you for many wonderful nights @ the
Howard Theater, Panorama Room, Paragon, Metro club, this list could go on and
on. Again you will be missed.
My name is Willie Ellis I am 43, Good bye for now.
GoGo heaven is a better place. A pioneer with a great
story. Thank you for this site. old school GoGo, a story of pride in ones self and
community!
Thanks, gogo Ken E Sice. old school
Thank you!!!!!!!!!! What more can b said
lonnel cag hghts
DJ BIG POPPA - R.I.P. MY BROTHER
What a tragedy to "Go Go." Just the sound affects were off
the chain, especially at the DC Coliseum. Another music pioneer gone. However the
music will still live on. I still have my original Trouble Funk Albums
"Big Moe"
My condolences go out to the family and the band members, I
will never forget when Big Bad Trouble funk came down to my elementary school
(Beaver Heights) in Chapel Oaks.. You talk about cranking!! they hit that Fashion
6, putting on the ritz.. they were cranking so hard jokers started climbing thru the
window.. I'll never forget that!!
RIP my friend RIP
We miss you!
I am sorry for your loss....may he rest in peace.....
One of my fave go-go bands of all time. We will miss you
Dyke... peace and love always...
I am so sorry for your loss. He's still doing his thang in
another place. May GOD bless and keep you.
I remember when i first moved to D.C. I used to sneak my
brothers go-go tapes, n imitate trouble funk while he was gone. I didn't realize go-go
would be an everyday joy 2me.. WE love u Dyke, all the way from the midwest these
days. Just keep on funknit on up. Cause u "still smokin" on heaven,s go-go scene now.
I wanna send my condolences to the Reed family and the old and
new member's of Trouble Funk! I just saw it on the site about five minutes ago. Believe me! I was so shocked because T.F. was one of my favorite band's because the
sound was uniquer than all the other band's and couldn't be duplicated and ya know
that's real! No other band could get that sound and the sound of the church organ
sound and the strength plus deepness of big tony's voice just set it slam off! I am a
big dude like Tony and alway's been. I used to live in Seat Pleasant and walk down to
Columbia Park rec to see dem boy's and ya know fat people hate to walk! But I had ta
do it because I was a true T.F. fan 4 life. Luv ya Dyke, may god bless and rest your
soul.
Petey! Born & raised outta seat pleasant!
May he RIP, Trouble played at Chopticon High Class of 85.
Those were the good ole days.
Lisa
Thank you for the many memories, my deepest condolences to the
family, Dyke was a true pioneer.
I remember watching them pratice in the clothes pin, back in
the day. Then playing at Savoy for a dime. Dyke used to come on the hill with Tony
and Roscoe clowning around at the ice cream truck, then go the court to try to play
basketball. Dyke was a person that kept you laughing, as time went on I continue to
listen to them and find this a shock, God bless you Dyke and stay strong Tony.
Boo
Gaston
May you rest in peace my brother. Thanks for the GREAT memories
at the Paragon. My first gogo! My brother would visit from Kentucky for the summer
and beg me for my TF tapes. The whole summer, he would say "drop the bomb on the
SOUTH SIDE CREW"!
BOOBIE
I grew up in SE DC and fell in love with Go Go since it kicked
off in the 70s. Trouble Funk was my favorite band..the way Dyke and Big Tony used to
trade off on the mike was awesome, and when I was in the Marines in Okinawa Japan in
'88, I was brought to tears of joy to witness my favorite band LIVE in Japan( an
experience I will never forget). RIP Dyke, you will live in our hearts forever.
Carl (Pye), Plain & Simple Band
I am truly sorry for the family's lost. He will be remembered
forever in my heart. (go-go forever)
Lisa Harvey
I guess you are now on that "Trouble Funk Express" to Heaven.
May you rest in peace.
Lisa E.
I grew up in Seat pleasant and Trouble Funk got their man at
Club Lebaron, gonna miss you player god rest your soul.
Moon
I was the Deejay for most of the Go-Go bands in Annapolis. Trouble was always my favorite band, me and the fellas in the hood would be so excited to see TF. What a blessing to know you Dyke. Rest in peace, and may God Bless your family-I will keep you in my prayers.
DJ Mark
My condolences go out to the Reed family and the Trouble Funk
band. A long time go-go fan from SE DC. Dyke's keyboard play revolutionalized the
go-go sound, period! I must share my favorite TF memory....School dance Big Bad
Ballou high school 1980. Rick gets a cramp during E-Flat boogie and the music stops.
After about 10 minutes, without a warm up or reintroduction and without missing a
beat. Tony comes out "Hey band can we get it wit the get down". Classic!! You had
to be there. Sorry. GOD BLESS you all. R. I. P. DYKE
I remember the Bowling Alley in Chillum and the Old Colony
Theater on GA! We're gonna miss Mr. Reed. R.I.P. Peace and condolences to the Reed
family.
May peace be unto you and your luv ones.
Dyke along with the other Trouble Funk Band is the best Go-Go
group of all time, hands down. He will surely be missed. My prayers are with his
family and the band.
MYP
r.i.p. I will always love you and never forget you.
Kathy........
R.I.P. "DYKE". My prayers go out to your Family.......Trouble
Funk Forever!!!
Keith Bridgett
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