Words by Jesse Serwer—

Lillian Lopez of Odyssey, known for her rich, earthy lead vocals on that group’s respective disco and R&B singles “Native New Yorker” and “Inside Out,” died at 76 earlier this week, after an extended illness. Lopez and her sisters Louise and Carmen Lopez, with whom she first formed the group along with Filipino singer Tony Reynolds, were raised in Connecticut but originally hailed from the Virgin Islands. Though generally labeled as disco, a listen to their 1977 debut album reveals a distinct Caribbean influence, notably on the track “Easy Come, Easy Go/Hold De Mota Down.” And, oh yeah, that’s the song Nottz sampled for the original version of Busta Rhymes” “Pass the Courvoisier.”