Edward K. Archer (born May 16, 1972),^[1] known professionally asSpecial Ed, is an American rapper and producer. Ed is perhaps best known for the songs "I Got It Made", "Think About It" and "I'm the Magnificent" from his debut albumYoungest in Charge, released in 1989 when he was 17 years old.^[2][3]

Born inBrooklyn,New York City to anAfro-Jamaican father andIndo-Jamaican mother, Ed was raised inFlatbush before moving toCanarsie, and is identified withEast Coast hip-hop. Ed attendedErasmus Hall High School andSamuel J. Tilden High School.^[4] At the age of fifteen, he established a rapport with his neighborHowie Tee, who worked with him on his demo.^{[5][conflicted source]} Ed's debut albumYoungest in Charge was released in 1989 and included the songs "I Got It Made", "Think About It" and "I'm The Magnificent", which were produced by "Hitman"Howie Tee. In an interview withBillboard (magazine) writer James Richliano, Special Ed, who co-wrote his songs, said that he, "used to like writing poetry and creative writing in school," and that he, "wrote a lot of lyrics that amused my teachers. Even when I was younger, I could kick a beat with my hands and rhyme at the same time."^{[5][conflicted source]}

Youngest in Charge sold more than half a million copies.^[6] In 1990, Ed released his albumLegal, the title a reference to his turning eighteen, with the singles "Come On Let's Move It" and "The Mission".^[3][7] Ed was later a member ofCrooklyn Dodgers, asupergroup put together in order to perform songs for theSpike Lee filmsClockers andCrooklyn,^[4][3] and he performed "Crooklyn" with Shillz on the 2003compilation albumMuskaBeatz. Ed released a third solo album,Revelations, with the single "Neva Go Back" in 1995,^[8] with the track "Freaky Flow" receiving a remix byDJ Premier.

In 2004, Ed released the albumStill Got It Made on his own label, Semi. Ed appeared in the filmGanked, alongsideKel Mitchell ofKenan and Kel, and had an uncredited cameo inJuice.^[3] He also made an appearance onThe Cosby Show as fictional rapper JT Freeze and in aRick Ross music video entitled "Magnificent".^[4][3] He also appeared in the 1992 movieFly By Night.

In 2008, his song "I Got It Made" appeared in the action-adventure video gameGrand Theft Auto IV on the fictional radio station "The Classics 104.1".

Ed was inducted as an honorary member ofPhi Beta Sigma fraternity during the organization's International Conclave inTampa, Florida, on July 19, 2025.^[9]

• Special Ed atAllMusic
• Special Ed Myspace

• 1972 births
• African-American male rappers
• 20th-century American male rappers
• 20th-century American rappers
• American rappers of Jamaican descent
• Living people
• Profile Records artists
• Rappers from Brooklyn
• Erasmus Hall High School alumni
• People from Flatbush, Brooklyn
• 21st-century American rappers
• 21st-century American male musicians
• People from Canarsie, Brooklyn
• 21st-century African-American rappers
• 20th-century African-American musicians
• Crooklyn Dodgers members
• East Coast hip-hop musicians

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