Brown developed a strong following over the years impacting millions of people worldwide. Amazingly, his works touched all generations. He has been prestigiously called, The High Priest of Hip, and was recently a regular favorite on Russell Simmons, Def Poetry Jam. Even though he did not get the full recognition he deserved from the recording industry while he was alive, his daughter says. His songs are so profound and timeless that now young rappers are approaching me about incorporating Oscar's material into what they are doing. Brown, playwright, poet and civil rights activist wrote more than one thousand songs, and more than a dozen musical plays. He is also noted for such classic compositions as, The Snake, Work Song, and Dat Dere. Yet, Brown was especially proud of how his productions Opportunity, Please Knock, and Great Nitty Gritty tapped into the talents of gang members and impoverished youth in Chicago and helped change their lives. According to his son Napoleon, Dad always said there was gold in the ghetto. Brown was originally hospitalized in mid-April, suffering from osteo-myelitis, a bone infection. Memorial services will be held Friday, June 24th at 12:00 Noon, at Christ Universal Temple, 11901 S. Ashland Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60643.

In lieu of flowers, donations are going to benefit Brownhouse Edutainment, NFP, 4915 S. Forestville, Avenue, Chicago, IL 60615. More information is also available on the website: www.oscarbrownjr.com