Frankie Smith

Franklyn Leon Smith, known professionally as Frankie Smith, was an American rapper born on January 29, 1940. He began his career in music after attending college in Tennessee for elementary education with a minor in music. Initially, he worked as a songwriter for funk and soul artists such as the O'Jays and The Spinners. In 1972, Frankie Smith released a single called "Double Dutch" under the name Franklin Franklin on Paramount Records, which did not achieve significant success. His breakthrough came with his 1981 hit single "Double Dutch Bus", released by WMOT Records. This song popularized a nonsensical form of slang that later became influential in hip-hop and rap culture. His debut album Children Of Tomorrow was also released in 1981. Frankie Smith's influence extended to the careers of rappers such as Tone Loc, Ice Cube, and Snoop Dogg. He continued to release music throughout his career, including the 2006 album  Frankie Smith and His World Wide Party Crew. Frankie Smith passed away on March 8, 2019, in Philadelphia at the age of 79.