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Keith Charles Flint (17 September 1969 – 4 March 2019) was an English singer, motorcyclist, dancer, and a vocalist of the electronic dance act The Prodigy. Starting out as a dancer for the group, he became the vocalist and performed on the group's two UK number-one singles, "Firestarter" and "Breathe", both released in 1996. He was also the singer of his own band, Flint.
Flint owned a motorcycle racing team, Team Traction Control, which won four Isle of Man TT races in 2015 and 2016, and competed in the British Superbike Championship. He died at age 49 from hanging; an inquest could not rule whether it was suicidal or accidental.
In 1989, he appeared as the boy running in the video for the new beat act 101's video for Just As Long As I Got You.
In 1996, just prior to the release of The Prodigy's third album, Flint moved from being a dancer for the group to being its frontman when he sang on the hit single "Firestarter"; the accompanying video showcased Flint's new and soon-to-be Cultural icon punk rock look.Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums. London: Guinness World Records Limited. This trend continued with the next Prodigy single, "Breathe", on which Flint sang vocals, with Maxim backing him up.
The 1997 album The Fat of the Land also featured Flint's vocal contributions on the tracks "Serial Thrilla" and "Fuel My Fire". In 2002, the non-album single "Baby's Got a Temper" was released, which was written by Flint.
Flint did not perform vocals on the next Prodigy album— Always Outnumbered, Never Outgunned (2004)—but reappeared on the "Hotride (El Batori Mix)", included on the "Hotride" single.
The Prodigy album Invaders Must Die was released on 23 February 2009 and featured vocals by Flint on multiple tracks. Flint released a single titled "War" with dubstep artist Caspa in 2012.
Flint experimented with solo projects, including his punk rock band Flint, which included remixes by Steven "Stitch" Held at The Recovery Room and Clever Brains Fryin'. Flint's debut album, Device #1, was cancelled before its release, leaving "Aim4" as their only single to be commercially released.
Flint had a tattoo across his stomach of the word "Inflicted", a reference to a lyric in "Firestarter". Flint was difficult on transatlantic flights; on one occasion he had to be restrained from kicking down the door to the cockpit. Prior to his marriage, Flint suffered from depression and an addiction to prescription painkillers. Flint kept fit by boxing and practising Brazilian jiu-jitsu.
In 2014, he bought and renovated the Leather Bottle pub in Pleshey, Essex, and became a popular landlord. Flint kept a Swear jar in which customers were required to put a pound if they made a "Firestarter" joke as he lit the pub's fire. He ended his connection with the pub without explanation in 2017.
Flint lived in a Listed building Tudor manor house near Great Dunmow, Essex. He had a small Track racing in his back garden, where he rode some of his motorcycles. Flint was a lover of animals and was an enthusiastic twitcher; he built a pond in his garden to attract birds and kept several dogs and horses at his home.
He also enjoyed the countryside.
At an 11 March 2019 inquest into his death, it was announced that he had died as a result of suicide by hanging. However, another coroner's inquest on 9 May 2019 determined there was insufficient evidence for a suicide or accident verdict. Cocaine, alcohol, and codeine were found in his system at the time of his death. The coroner adjourned the inquest until 23 July 2019 for a full hearing.
Following his death, many musical artists and music industry figures from around the world paid tribute to Flint. Many tributes highlighted Flint's gentle temperament, illustrating a personal kindness, politeness and generosity that contrasted with his energetic and sometimes aggressive stage persona. Fellow British musician and Jamiroquai frontman Jay Kay said, "What bloody tragic news. What a top fella and a great laugh. I hope they've got a quick bike for him up there.. cos he fucking sure knew how to ride one. Keith Flint... always 'balls to the wall'."
In June 2019, fashion designer Donatella Versace dedicated her spring/summer 2020 menswear show in Milan to Flint's memory. Versace, who was a friend of Flint's, dressed male models in clothing reflecting his style and they sported Flint's distinctive "Firestarter" hairstyle.
Whilst performing at Glastonbury Festival in June 2019, Liam Gallagher dedicated "Champagne Supernova" to Flint.
In the 2020 video game Assassin's Creed Valhalla, a bard named Keith resembling Flint can be found in Essex, England, as part of a sidequest titled "The Prodigy". There, the "Bishop of the Ruins" is denouncing his music as unholy. The character says the presence of the player character, Eivor, is "surely an omen", referencing the Prodigy's song of the same name; when the protesting clergyman starts a fistfight with Eivor, Keith encourages the character to "Smack my Bishop". Kristen McGorry, a writer on the game, confirmed on Twitter that these and other references were intentional tributes to Flint and the band.
On 5 August 2021, a Crowdfunding was launched by Music festival and Wellness tourism festival "Headstock" to commission street artist Akse P19 to paint a mural of Flint. The mural, which was unveiled on 9 September 2021, a day ahead of World Suicide Prevention Day, is located at Beechwood Road in Hackney, near to where The Prodigy played their first gig at the Four Aces Club in 1990.
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