Randy Stretch Walker

Randy “Stretch” Walker (born August 21, 1968) grew up in Springfield Gardens, Queens, and became known as a gifted rapper and producer during hip-hop’s formative 1990s era. Performing and recording with his brother in the group Live Squad, Stretch built a reputation for gritty lyrical delivery and a producer’s ear, contributing to soundtracks and collaborations that connected him to many prominent artists of the time.

Stretch worked both behind the boards and behind the mic, helping craft music that reflected the streets and communities he knew. He appeared on recordings and in projects alongside artists who went on to national prominence; his contributions are remembered by fans and colleagues for their authentic energy and for the role they played in early East Coast hip-hop culture.

Beyond credits and collaborations, Stretch was a figure rooted in Queens — a son of a Jamaican immigrant mother and an African American father — whose life was shaped by family, neighborhood, and music. Public records and longstanding remembrances emphasize his close ties to his brother and to the local scene where he both lived and worked.

Randy’s life was cut short on November 30, 1995. While the circumstances of his death have been the subject of reporting and speculation, what endures is the music he helped make and the presence he had within his community. Those who knew him or heard his work remember him for his voice, his production sensibility, and the role he played in a vibrant moment of hip-hop history. His name continues to be cited in discussions of 1990s rap, not as a statistic, but as a creative person whose work mattered to listeners and collaborators.