Clarence Reid, born Clarence Henry Reid in Cochran, Georgia, United States, on February 14, 1939, was an American musician, songwriter, record producer, and rapper best known for his explicit comedy persona Blowfly, who lived until 2016. Moving to West Palm Beach, Florida, in his adolescence, he began writing and producing for soul and funk artists in the 1960s and 1970s, crafting hit singles including Betty Wright's “Clean Up Woman” and Gwen McCrae's “Rockin' Chair”. Under his own name, he released his debut studio album, Dancin' with Nobody But You Babe, in 1969, followed by Running Water in 1973 and On the Job in 1976. Adopting the masked persona Blowfly, he released his debut parody album, The Weird World of Blowfly, in 1971, pioneering a blend of funk, soul, and sexually explicit lyrics that earned him recognition as an early precursor to gangsta rap. Blowfly signed with Alternative Tentacles in 2005, releasing the studio albums Fahrenheit 69 in 2005 and Blowfly's Punk Rock Party in 2006. He toured internationally, performing in Australia and Europe, and was featured in the 2011 documentary film The Weird World of Blowfly. Reid died of terminal liver cancer and organ failure in Lauderdale Lakes, Florida, on January 17, 2016, at age 76.
