welcome to watch mojo and today we'll be
taking a look at 20 rappers who died too
soon i beat life two times my watch too
i say i bought more than once
for this list we'll be examining the
careers and legacy of beloved mcs that
were taken far too soon we've tried to
include as many notable figures as we
can but sadly too many rappers fit into
this category which of these rappers
passing hit you the hardest let us know
in the comments
guru
[Music]
for those who appreciate hip hop as an
art form guru is their picasso
along with dj premier guru founded
gangstar one of the most revered rap
groups in history attacking like a slick
apache lyrics a trigger happy blowing
back your wick beats just for the way
you're looking at me his brilliant
lyrics and stylish delivery complemented
premiere's unique jazz samples and
distinctive mixing this combination made
gangstar a truly original force in
hip-hop guru also had a successful solo
career and his singular sound permeated
the underground scene for many years in
2010 guru lost his battle with cancer
cutting his life unreasonably short at
the age of 48.
[Music]
he's not the most recognizable person on
this list but his music certainly is
adam yaok was one third of the beastie
boys a group whose popularity in the 80s
was staggering
with yowk at the helm the beastie boys
reinvigorated hip-hop with their
humorous punk-inspired riffs and
high-energy delivery not to mention
breaking down barriers for white artists
in the rap industry
after 30 years in the business 50
million records sold and a rock and roll
hall of fame induction mca succumbed to
cancer at the age of 47.
[Music]
nate dog in the 80s this vocalist formed
a lifelong bond with snoop dogg and
warren g
later known as 213 the crew reached the
mainstream after hooking up with dr dre
and it was nate dog's vocals and lyrical
flow that became synonymous with g-funk
hit the east side of the lbc on a
mission
though he did release several solo
albums nate achieved fame for his guest
spots on 90s classics like warren g's
massive regulate he wasn't just a trendy
artist either as he collaborated with
top artists throughout the mid-2000s
then in 2011 rap lost an icon when
nathaniel hale passed away in his native
long beach at age 41.
capital steez in 2012 this brooklyn
rapper dropped his first mixtape
american corruption it wasn't just any
mixtape though as capital steez
attracted an all-star list of producers
for the event and it was a hip-hop event
he was a spiritual person a young
entrepreneur who created his own
movement by founding the rap collective
pro era with fellow underground rapper
and friend joey badass but this
uplifting story turned tragic as
courtney duarte jr
only 19 and one of rap's most promising
talents took his own life by jumping
from the rooftop of a manhattan building
rest in peace it's beast coast we the
murderous set we raining fire and i
don't mean to burn us in text prodigy
when this mob deep member passed away in
2017 he was unsurprisingly remembered as
a hip-hop legend prodigy had lifelong
health issues in his case sickle cell
anemia albert johnson also known as
prodigy was still a teenager when he and
havoc released their 1993 debut and
their 1995 single shook one's part 2 was
famously featured in the m m film 8 mile
i got you stuck off the realness we be
the infamous you heard of us official
queensbridge
with his gritty flow prodigy inspired a
new school of new york mcs but he
tragically died at age 42 after
reportedly choking while in the hospital
for anemia-related complications
old dirty bastard first things first man
with the worst i'll be sticking pins in
your head
old dirty bastard is one of rap's most
beloved but also controversial figures
odb battled through legal problems drug
problems and domestic problems and spent
his life in and out of institutions yet
none of these blemishes overshadowed his
musical output
with wu-tang clan and as a solo artist
odb produced a number of monstrous hits
and their success had much to do with
his extremely offbeat style and
unflinching lyrics
[Music]
he was the magic ingredient added to a
generic soup this magic could only last
so long however as his demons came to
collect when he died of an overdose at
age 35.
[Music]
in the 80s this queen's native formed a
rap group that would alter the course of
hip-hop history you had one voice that
was high a little high-pitched voice i
hated my voice and then you had tip who
was like in the middle as a tribe called
quest fife dog and his buddy q-tip mixed
old-school funk with comedic rhymes to
inform listeners of their daily
realities brothers front they say their
job can't flow but we've been known to
do the impossible like broadway
malik taylor the five-foot assassin was
known for his comedic wordplay and
delivery a perfect compliment to q-tip's
own distinctive style but then grab the
microphone and let your words written
now here's the funky introduction
in michael rappaport's 2011 documentary
about tribe fife's health issues were
discussed along with their effect on the
group in 2016 at age 45 the
self-proclaimed funky diabetic sadly
passed away from his disease
[Music]
right now
nipsey hustle he's trying to tell you
like what we going through how we
growing up around here hailing from
crenshaw los angeles nipsey hustle
followed in the footsteps of west coast
greats like snoop dogg spread off the
block i sold rope to buy groceries nice
rack money no advances all royalty
coming from gang life nipsey carved out
his own lane for success determined to
create wealth and opportunities not only
for himself but also the community that
brought him up
first gaining attention in the late
2000s for his series of mixtapes bullets
ain't got no name he became known for
his insightful and calculated lyrics
that came from the heart credits roll
back to stress pound breaking up had to
fight before we hustle and it made us
tough years of honing his craft through
mixtapes culminated in his first and
only full-length album 2018's
grammy-nominated victory lap
hey tell me hustle dumb dale you might
[Music]
then in 2019 he was shockingly gunned
down while standing outside his marathon
clothing store in south la
proof
[Music]
few did more to elevate detroit's status
as a rap powerhouse than proof did born
in the motor city in the early 70s proof
grew up with eminem and the two honed
their abilities in the underground scene
he helped develop the rap battle circuit
which showcased local talent and was
immortalized in the eminem biopic eight
mile he also founded d12 with eminem and
the group attracted mainstream notice
that would launch both their careers
[Music]
with slick flow and authentic lyrics
proof's talent was undeniable but his
career was cut short at 32 when he was
shot and killed during a bar fight
your son came along and took the game
lil peep this rapper real name gustav r
appeared to be on the verge of pop
culture super stardom
for some little peep was already there
given his massive popularity influence
and eclectic emo influence style
[Music]
but just months after releasing his
debut album come over when you're sober
part one lil peep was found dead in his
tour bus during a stop in tucson arizona
an overdose was the cause of death for
the 21 year old a fate that is sadly too
common in the hip-hop world and one that
has taken other icons as recent as fredo
santana and those from previous
generations like dmx and pimp c
pop smoke said i'm never like you know
what special package
new york has birthed countless movements
in hip-hop and pop smoke was at the
forefront of one of its most recent
[Music]
emerging in 2018 this canarsie native
would come to define the sound of
brooklyn drill with his breakout hits
welcome to the party and dior
[Music]
his deep and smokey delivery made him
instantly recognizable catching the
attention of industry giants like travis
scott and 50 cent just cause i dance
don't think i'm [ __ ] don't make me pull
up with the stick
stick i got a movie
pop's arrival to the rap world felt like
the start of something special he had
nowhere to go but up however all this
momentum came to a screeching halt when
he was viciously attacked and murdered
in a hollywood hills home invasion in
2020. no matter how short his career was
he'll forever be a king of new york
[Music]
lisa lopez was a founding member of the
widely popular girl group tlc
i know you're feeling like my sexual
team can make you happy
as a rapper by nature lopez infused tlc
with hip-hop elements cultivating a
uniquely diverse sound that crossed over
genres
[Music]
her fierce mic technique and dynamic
verses could be heard in many of their
songs and helped to earn tlc for grammys
and make it the best-selling female
group in u.s history
[Music]
although her life was often a troubled
one it was a simple car accident that
claimed lopez at 30 after swerving to
avoid another vehicle lopez lost control
of her car and died shortly after from
the resulting trauma
[Music]
mac miller when we posted a list of
rappers gone too soon on september 7th
2018 no one could have predicted the
loss of malcolm mac miller mccormick on
that exact day these rappers are
breaking up sweat cause every time i get
up on the mic become correct the
pittsburgh rapper and producer was a
hometown hero who started out as
somewhat of a party rapper but quickly
matured into an expressive and talented
mc take over the world when i'm on my
donald trump [ __ ] look at all this money
ain't that some [ __ ] with plenty of
radio hits like donald trump and best
day ever already tucked under his belt
mac released 2018's swimming to rave
reviews from fans and critics who
applauded his growth as an artist and
his vulnerability in talking about his
own mental health struggles
[Music]
his tragic death would come only a month
later when miller died suddenly of a
drug overdose he may be gone now but to
this day we're still thinking about the
kind and beautiful soul that was mac
miller okay we be fighting we'd be
reuniting kiss me touch me tease me
excited easy
[Music]
thanks to straight outta compton easy
e's story is well known
from small time gangster to rap
superstar to the fixture of a cause of
death conspiracy theory his life and
afterlife is indeed colorful
[Music]
he founded nwa and pioneered gangster
rap helped launch the careers of ice
cube dr dre and a multitude of others
and had the coolest most captivating
delivery a rapper has ever owned check
it out
[Music]
his life ended at 30 due to
complications from aids leaving behind
an untouchable legacy a wife and seven
children juice world look at my bank
account
born jared anthony higgins juice world
took the music world by storm in 2018
with his infectious single lucid dreams
i still see your shadows
this nine times platinum track showcased
his dark and melodic style of emo rap
that hadn't really been heard before
combined with the musical accompaniment
and aesthetic of his debut album goodbye
and good riddance juice blended elements
of rap emo punk rock and metal
seamlessly
[Music]
his music resonated with a new
generation of rap fans and his raw
success on the chart is a testament to
that with more gold and platinum
certifications than we can keep track
he was a ridiculously talented rapper
and artist with heaps of potential
making it all the more heartbreaking
when he died suddenly of a drug overdose
in 2019. everybody having a good day
um
i hope everybody accomplished something
big pun sending back to you
[Music]
the name perfectly describes the artist
a man bigger than most with a penchant
for clever wordplay he released two
chart-topping albums one of which went
platinum and earned pun the distinction
as the first latino solo artist to do
so the richest was no christmas now we
blessed with gold lazarus is so
expensive my whole family's religious at
698 pounds pun's weight ultimately led
to his death by heart attack at just 28
years of age despite his early death big
pun is still considered by many to be
one of the greatest mcs of all time
[Music]
xxx tentacion
[Music]
it was thanks to a stint in juvenile
detention for gun possession charges
that this florida-born rapper was
inspired to turn to music
after clicking with fellow inmate and
rapper ski mask the slump god jesse
dwayne ricardo anfroy released his first
official song under
xxxtentacion during his mid-teens
[Music]
however on freud's short life would be
marred by controversy including an
arrest concert violence a provocative
music video and more then on june 18th
2018 the 20 year old was shot to death
in a suspected robbery attempt
fortunately his musical legacy which
includes two top two studio albums and a
chart-topping single as well as plenty
of posthumous releases ensure he won't
soon be forgotten
big l
yo you better flee hops i'll get your
head flowing three blocks l keep rapping
after making his bones in the
underground scene big l was signed by
colombia and released his first album in
1995.
i broke through brothers be mad cause i
hit more tricks than they spoke to it
showcased an incredible talent a lyrical
prodigy who could weave rhymes metaphors
and delusions with the best of them
cause when you're on top everything's
okay but when you broke you get snow
play he was in the process of signing
with jay-z's rockefeller label when he
was killed in a drive-by shooting at age
24. an album and a few singles were
released posthumously so at least we
caught a glimpse of what could have been
[Music]
but his inimitable sound was never
exposed to the mainstream audience
tupac back in elementary
misery left me alone
a poet from the streets tupac explored
the issues of impoverished and oppressed
individuals and treated them with a
maturity and acuteness that could not be
ignored by society
being an artistic literary man who
explored philosophical themes he
legitimized rap as an important medium
and caused many intellectuals to rethink
their position on its merits
he also delved into subject matter that
was stigmatized in the black community
and became the voice for those too
afraid to speak out a fearless artist
who died from his refusal to bow down
tupac was just 25 when he was killed in
a drive-by shooting there's no way i
could pay you back but my plan is to
show you that i understand before we
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the notorious b.i.g to all the ladies in
the place with style and grace there was
no bigger presence in rap history biggie
smalls smashed through the industry and
sat alone atop the ruins and there was
nobody who dared to or could have
stopped him
[Music]
he possessed a distinctive commanding
voice into flow so smooth that it
produced auditory goosebumps he released
only one album in his lifetime which has
gone quadruple platinum and that was
enough to earn his place amongst the
greatest rappers of all time from the
mississippi down to the east coast
condos and queens endo for weeks soul
out seeks to hear biggie small but just
like tupac in an undoubtedly related
event biggie was shot dead at the age of
24.
[Music]
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