The legacy of Jimi Hendrix has long outlived his 27 years on earth. Releasing only three projects plus a live album, Hendrix is the most lauded guitar player in music history. Since his death in 1970, more than 10 posthumous Hendrix albums have been released, alongside accolades including an induction into the Rocking Roll Hall of Fame. Born Johnny Allen Hendrix on November 27, 1942, the Seattle native learned to play the guitar as a teenager and may have had no idea how the instrument would shape his life. Hendrix left a cross-genre mark on the industry that has stood the test of time. Drake has noted him as an inspiration, and with the forthcoming biopic starring Andre 3000 on the brink of release, there’s no denying his appeal. “I didn’t look at him as an icon because when you’re in it, you don’t know you’re an icon. You don’t know you’re an icon until another people say you’re an icon,” 3000 said in an interview. “So I had to take it as a person, you know what I mean? And I just tried to say, `Well, what would Jimi want people to know that they can’t get off of YouTube?’ And that’s how I approached it,” In honor of what would have been Hendrix’s 70th birthday, take a look at 10 interesting facts that you may not have known about the guitar legend. **Additional reporting by Kristen Gray. MORE ON HIP-HOP WIRED! • 11 Things We Learned From Nicki Minaj’s My Truth [PHOTOS] • Lil Wayne, Kanye West, Diddy, Scott Disick & More Celebrate DJ Khaled’s Birthday In LIV Nightclub [PHOTOS] • Beyoncé Shares New Shots Of Blue Ivy, Jay-Z [PHOTOS] • Tahiry Says She Keeps Joe Budden Relevant [PHOTOS] • Bangin Candy: Jamaican Vixen Kara Allison [PHOTOS] • Nike Air Jordan 4 “Bred” / “Black/Fire Red” Drops Black Friday [PHOTOS] • K. Michelle & Brooke Bailey Cover KING Magazine [PHOTOS] • Talk That Talk: 5 Best Journalist Lines From Aboard The Rihanna Plane…So Far [PHOTOS] — Photo: karen civil
