In 2021, the hip-hop world lost giants.
They included legends as well as rappers on their way up. And some died of natural
causes while others saw violent ends. Keep watching for the full, sad story.
The world was shocked in April 2021 when one of the most successful rappers of the late 1990s
and early 2000s died: the Ruff Ryder himself, DMX. According to Vulture, the rapper had fallen into a
coma following a heart attack caused by cocaine use, before dying of multiple organ failure.
His family wrote in a statement published by CNN:
"We are deeply saddened to announce today that our loved one, DMX,
birth name of Earl Simmons, passed away at 50-years-old at White Plains Hospital with
his family by his side after being placed on life support for the past few days."
Simmons had long been open with fans and
reporters about struggling with addiction since an early age.
"I will always have a drug problem.”
“Tell me about that.”
“Just because you stop getting high, doesn't mean that you don't have the problem."
He revealed that he was happiest when he was looking at his youngest son,
Exodus, in a GQ interview in 2019, saying:
"I just need to have a purpose. And I don't even know that purpose,
because God has given me that purpose since before I was in the womb, so I'm going to
fulfill that purpose whether I want to or not, whether I know it or not, because the story
has already been written. If you appreciate the good, then you have to accept the bad."
Fans of the Oakland rap group Digital Underground were devastated in April 2021 when frontman Shock
G died in a Tampa hotel room, following an accidental drug overdose, according to TMZ.
He was best known for the beloved 1990 song, "The Humpty Dance," which featured Shock G,
born Gregory Jacobs, as his iconic alter ego, Humpty Hump. Jacobs also had a history
with Tupac Shakur. TMZ announced that Jacobs was 57 at the time of his death.
Deadline revealed that his cause of death had been a fentanyl,
ethanol, and methamphetamine overdose. The Tampa Bay Times uncovered that Shock G had
a history of drug addiction and had been involved in altercations with the police in
the days before his death. But his sister, Elizabeth Racker, defended him, saying:
"Usually what comes along with that is, sometimes they struggle. It just
goes and proves that people with that caliber or skill sometimes struggle."
Pitchfork reported in June 2021 that Bay Area icon Gift of Gab, one half of Blackalicious,
had passed away. Born Timothy Parker, the rapper was known for tongue-twisting songs
like "Alphabet Aerobics." Alongside DJ and longtime friend Chief Xcel,
whom he'd met in high school, Blackalicious released game-changing EPs and albums like Nia.
While it was known that his health had declined in recent years, Gift of Gab
revealed in his self-titled documentary in 2016 that he went on dialysis for kidney failure.
When his kidney problems returned in 2020, the rapper had a transplant, but he sadly died just
a year later. His rap collective paid tribute to him in a statement published by Pitchfork:
"Tim peacefully departed this earth to be with our ancestors [...] We ask that the
family's privacy is respected as we mourn the tremendous loss of our dear brother."
His musical partner, Chief Xcel, insisted that Gift of Gab had a
spiritual connection with his art, stating:
"Our brother was an MC's MC who dedicated his life to his craft.
One of the greatest to ever do it. He truly believed in the healing power of music."
But he didn't leave Blackalicious fans without one last gift.
According to Pitchfork, the rapper had recorded nearly 100 new tracks before he died,
none of which have been released yet. A source told Rolling Stone:
"Some of those were already slated for the next release,
but more of Gab's lyrical genius will be heard for years to come."
New York rapper Black Rob was 52 years old when he died in April 2021,
The Associated Press reported. He had a history of health problems
and had been sent to an Atlanta hospital following a serious cardiac arrest, where
fellow rapper and Bad Boy Records collaborator Mark Curry held his hand during his last moments.
Black Rob had risen to fame by working with Sean "Diddy" Combs,
appearing on songs like "Bad Boy 4 Life." In 2000, he had his own hit with "Whoa!",
which became the New York City native's best-known solo track. Curry told The AP:
"'Whoa!' carried us through a significant point of
our time in hip-hop. He always felt like he took the label on his back."
Black Rob's career took a turn after he was convicted and sent to jail
for a 2004 hotel robbery. Before his death, Rob revealed in 2021 that he
was homeless and had suffered four strokes, as reported by The Source.
"When they told you, Rob you had a stroke, what did you think, what was your thought?"
"I was like ‘what?’ I had a stroke?"
According to Curry, Diddy helped him out in the years following his brush with the law
and even paid for Black Rob's funeral. According to Page Six,
Diddy wrote in a since-deleted Instagram tribute:
"Rest in power, King. You have made millions of people all over the world feel good and dance!"
In March 2021, Chucky Trill died after being fatally injured in a shocking highway shooting,
according to NME. The up-and-coming Houston rapper had burst into the spotlight when he released
"Streets Don't Love a Soul" in 2018. His single's success led him to release his own album, working
with other artists like Lil' KeKe, Propain, and Trapboy Freddy. His career was cut tragically
short on March 5, when gunshots were heard on Interstate 85 near Atlanta at 3 in the morning.
Police officers found him in his parked car struggling with a gunshot wound when they
arrived on scene. Trill eventually died after being taken to the hospital to treat his injury,
leading to widespread grief and anger from the Houston rap scene.
His manager, Bone, told the Houston Chronicle that Chucky Trill had been visiting the area so
that he could watch the NBA All-Stars Weekend. Bone paid tribute, saying:
"He was very passionate about his music, very humble young dude. [...] Just a good guy."
Baby CEO had been a controversial presence in rap for years before his
untimely death. The Memphis rapper, whose real name was Jonathan Brown,
was only 14 years old when he burst onto the scene under the wing of his late mentor, Fredo Santana,
according to the New York Post. Baby CEO's young appearance shocked viewers in music
videos where the teenager was shown holding prop guns and rapping about gang violence.
He was only 20 when he was tragically shot in January 2021, according to WMC Action News.
The rapper, who later changed his stage name to Big CEO, died on the scene of a
deadly brawl in Frayser, Tennessee. According to Metro, the musician's older brother was
the one who announced his tragic death on Twitter, who wrote in a since-deleted post:
"My Lil Brother Baby Ceo Has Passed Away. Please Pray For Our Family."
He went on to reflect that Baby CEO and his girlfriend had only recently become parents,
after welcoming a baby in November 2020.
The world of Chicago Drill lost one of its brightest stars in August 2021,
when Edai 600 was tragically gunned down in his hometown. The rapper, born Cordai Ealy,
was known for songs like "Six Double O" and his 2012 remix of "Gucci" with Chief Keef.
According to The Source, Police scanner recordings showed that Edai 600, who had a wife and daughter,
had been shot in the back multiple times. He later died after he was taken to the hospital.
SKPop reported that fellow rappers like Young Dre Money and King Hittz reacted to the news
on their social media accounts, sharing their shock and grief with their followers.
In the last few years of his life, Lil Theze racked up hundreds of thousands of
views on songs like "Hashtag" and "Gang," collaborating with rappers like Bandlife
Birdy and Daboii. But he made headlines in 2021 when the 20-year-old rapper was
shot dead by a retired police officer during a clash at a gas station in Oakland, California.
The rapper, whose birth name was Desoni Gardner,
was shown at the gas station in surveillance footage published by the San Francisco Chronicle.
At around 1pm, an alleged robbery turned into a shootout when former law enforcement official
Ersie Joyner took out his gun and fatally shot Lil Theze. Joyner ended up in hospital.
"You can see retired captain Ersie Joyner holding his phone as he's pumping gas
when three men approached him and appear to shake him down for valuables."
According to the Vallejo Sun, the production company Star Quality Entertainment was the
first to break the news on Instagram after the rapper died on the scene.
NPR reported in January 2021 that Double K, the rapper and producer behind "People
Under The Stairs", died at 43 years old. He was a Los Angeles native who had formed a
group with fellow rapper Thes One and started releasing funk-influenced albums in the '90s.
DJ Mark Luv announced the news on Instagram, sadly telling his followers in a video:
"Today I lost a friend, Michael Turner, aka Double K."
He went on to reveal that the rapper had passed away peacefully in his sleep.
Luv shared some good memories, like the fact that Double K and his wife
had been the ones to help him out when he was homeless on the streets.
Chuck D of Public Enemy also showed his respect for Double K on Twitter,
calling him "a great young man" who was committed to making music. Chuck D tweeted:
"Gone too soon. His aunt happened to be a good friend of mine & he comes from good folk."
Up-and-coming rapper 18veno, who was born Paul Harts, was only 19 years old when he was shot
and killed in South Carolina. Pitchfork reported that he was officially pronounced
dead at the Piedmont Medical Center in Rock Hill, South Carolina on January 23, 2021.
Harts started to find fame in the world of Southern trap,
releasing an EP and an album in 2020. 18veno told Lyrical Lemonade in an interview:
"I grew up on some Gucci Mane, Yo Gotti, Young Jeezy— that was what my mama played in the car."
18veno added that he had been rapping since third or fourth grade.
He also spoke about how music inspired him to keep staying out of trouble,
recalling that he, quote, "just had to learn how to be a grown man" after a few visits to jail.
In February 2021, Complex reported that two men had been arrested and
charged in connection to the fatal shooting. Sheriff Kevin Tolson stated:
"After weeks of diligent investigation, our detectives
believe these are the people responsible for the unnecessary death of Paul Harts."
Beloved beatboxer and rapper Biz Markie, often known as the "clown
prince of hip hop," died in July 2021 due to complications with diabetes, as NPR reported.
Biz Markie first became a fixture of the New York hip-hop scene in the 1980s,
alongside acts like the Beastie Boys, before releasing the iconic song, "Just a Friend."
"You've got that great voice, how do they get in there?”
“You gotta just take it out of my throat and I gotta give it to them.”
[laughter]
According to TMZ, Markie had been hospitalized several times over the previous year,
but was admitted to a hospital in Baltimore for his diabetes,
where he died with his wife by his side. A representative stated to TMZ:
"We are grateful for the many calls and prayers of support
that we have received during this difficult time.
The representative also stated that Biz Markie:
"Created a legacy of artistry that will forever be celebrated by his industry peers
and his beloved fans whose lives he was able to touch through music, spanning over 35 years."
The late rapper is survived by his wife,
family members and close friends who will miss his vibrant personality.
Lil Loaded was emerging as a viral star for tracks like "6locc 6a6y" when the 20-year-old rapper
suddenly died in May 2021. BBC News reported that the Dallas rapper, whose real name was
Dashawn Robertson, took his own life. His lawyer confirmed that his death was self-inflicted.
XXL revealed that Robertson's mother had discovered her son's body in his home.
She had been alarmed by his emotional state the previous night, as he had apparently been crying
over a relationship. Robertson, who was facing an upcoming trial over manslaughter charges,
had cryptically posted a message on his Instagram story prior to his death that stated:
"I ask for entrance into your kingdom thru all of my mistakes[.]
I know you love all of your children and I'm ready for my heart and soul to Join you."
Lil Loaded also reportedly asked to be forgiven for his shortcomings from, quote, "the most high."
If you or anyone you know is having suicidal thoughts,
please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline​ at​ 1-800-273-TALK (8255)​.