obits
Gift of Gab, Blackalicious Rapper, Dies at 50
Timothy J. Parker, the Blackalicious rapper known as Gift of Gab, has died. Parker passed away on June 18, 2021 at the age of 50. The acclaimed rapper known for his nonpareil lyrical flow was diagnosed with kidney failure in 2014, undergoing dialysis several times a week even while on tour. On the last night of his Blackalicious tour, January 31, 2020, things were looking bright for Parker when he underwent a kidney transplant procedure successfully. Gift of Gab was one half of the Bay Area-based hip-hop duo with DJ/Producer Chief Xcel while Blackalicious itself was part of rap collective Quannum Projects, of which Parker was also a founding member. “It is with heavy hearts and great sadness that we announce the passing of our dear brother, Timothy J. Parker a.k.a. The Gift of Gab,” Quannu...
Veteran Screen Actor Clarence Williams III Has Died
HipHopWired Featured Video Source: CBS Photo Archive / Getty Clarence Williams III, an actor with credits that stretch back to the late 1960s, has passed away. Williams found fame early but is perhaps most notable for playing intense and eccentric characters while in possession of a most unique voice. As shared in a report from Deadline, Williams, a native of New York City, found fame as the imposing yet suave police detective Linc Hayes on the hit series, The Mod Squad. The show began its five-season run in 1968, establishing Williams as a star to watch out for. In the later stages of his career, Williams made unforgettable turns as Prince’s father in Purple Rain, and hammed it up alongside Dave Chappelle in the stoner cult classic, Half Baked. Williams also starred in 52 Pick-Up, Reindee...
B.J. Thomas, ‘Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head’ Singer, Dies at 78
B.J. Thomas, the singer-songwriter best known for his version of “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head” from Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, has died at the age of 78. Thomas died at his home due to complications from stage four lung cancer. In March, Thomas announced that he had been diagnosed with the illness. Born on Aug. 7, 1942 in Hugo, Oklahoma, Thomas spent his youth growing up in Houston where he sang in his church choir. He had his first hit in 1966 with a version of Hank Williams’ “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry.” The song went on to sell over a million copies and would peak at No. 8 on the Billboard 100. His next hit, 1968’s “Hooked on a Feeling,” would carry that momentum from his first hit. The song would also sell over a million copies and would peak at No. 5 on the&n...
Kevin Clark, School of Rock Actor, Dies at 32
Kevin Clark, the actor best known for portraying Freddy in School of Rock, has died at the age of 32. Clark was riding his bike in the Avondale neighborhood of Chicago when he was struck by a 20-year-old motorist driving a Hyundai Sonata early Wednesday morning, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. Clark’s mother Allison told the Sun-Times that he was on his way home at the time of the incident, which took place around 1:20 am. The motorist was issued citations, according to the Sun-Times. School of Rock was Clark’s only feature film role. In it, he played Freddy Jones, the kid called Spazzy McGee by Jack Black’s character Dewey Finn (AKA Mr. S, if you need to ask why the AKA, watch the movie), who ended up being the drummer in the band. Since his st...
Tawny Kitaen, ’80s Music Video Vixen, Dies at 59
Tawny Kitaen, who shot to fame in the 1980s by appearing in multiple Whitesnake videos like “Here I Go Again,” “In the Still of the Night” and “Is This Love,” has died at the age of 59. According to the Orange County coroner’s office, she died at her home in Newport Beach, California on Friday. A cause of death has not been revealed. Born Tawny Finley on Aug. 5, 1961 in San Diego, Kitaen also appeared in films like 1984’s Bachelor Party that starred Tom Hanks and television roles that included an appearance on Seinfeld as Jerry’s girlfriend in “The Nose Job” and made appearances on The New WKRP in Cincinnati. Kitaen is forever known for her starring appearances, however, in the aforementioned Whitesnake clips, where she featured with her ex-husband, singer David Coverdale. T...
Shock G of Hip Hop Pioneers Digital Underground Dies at 57
Shock G of the pioneering hip-hop group Digital Underground has died at the age of 57 according to an Instagram post by fellow Digital Underground co-founder Chopmaster J. His father, Edward Racker, also confirmed the news to TMZ. Born Gregory Jacobs in Brooklyn, Shock G found success in the hip-hop world after moving to Oakland and forming Digital Underground in 1987. As the leader of the collective that featured dozens of rappers and producers, including 2Pac, Money-B, DJ Fuze, and Stretch, Jacobs became a powerful and influential figure within California’s growing rap scene throughout the late ’80s and early ’90s. On the group’s debut album, 1990’s Sex Packets, Jacobs donned his alter ego of Humpty Hump to perform the timeless classic of “The Humpty Dance.” A year later, he co-prod...
Jim Steinman, Meat Loaf and Bonnie Tyler Songwriter, Dies at 73
Jim Steinman, the songwriter behind Meat Loaf’s biggest hits and Bonnie Tyler’s “Total Eclipse of the Heart,” has died at the age of 73. The Connecticut chief medical examiner office confirmed Steinman’s death, but said there was no cause of death available, as it didn’t take jurisdiction in the matter. Born on Nov. 1, 1947 in New York City and growing up on Long Island, Steinman’s style had a flair for the dramatic (to put it mildly). This is perhaps best exemplified in his work with Meat Loaf. The two teamed up for 1977’s Bat Out of Hell and 1993’s Bat Out of Hell II: Back Into Hell. The albums, which defined Meat Loaf’s career, included bombastic songs like “Paradise by the Dashboard,” “Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad,” “Bat Out of Hell” and “I Would Do Anything for Love ...
Black Rob, ‘Whoa!’ Rapper and Bad Boy Artist, Dies at 51
Robert Ross, the rapper known as Black Rob who was on the Bad Boy Records roster at the turn of the century, has died at the age of 51, according to multiple media reports. Mark Curry, who was also on Bad Boy, and DJ Self, shared the news on social media. Last week, Curry organized a GoFundMe to help the rapper, who had been battling a number of health issues in recent years. “This Gofundme is to help him find a home, pay for medical help & stability during these trying times. We’ve lost a lot legends and we can’t afford to lose anymore. This is my way to try and help,” the description read. Last week, DJ Self posted a photo of Black Rob in the hospital, which you can see below. Born on July 12, 1969, in Buffalo, Black Rob was signed to Sean Combs’ Bad Boy label and in 1999, ...
DMX, Legendary New York Rapper, Dies at 50
DMX, the legendary Yonkers rapper known for hits like “Party Up,” “X Gon’ Give It to Ya,” “Get at Me Dog,” “Ruff Ryders Anthem” and “What’s My Name,” has died at the age of 50, his family confirmed in a statement. See the statement below. “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. Earl was a warrior who fought till the very end. He loved his family with all of his heart and we cherish the times we spent with him. Earl’s music inspired countless fans across the world and his iconic legacy will live on forever. We appreciate all of the love and support during this incredibly difficult time. Please respec...
Yaphet Kotto, Actor Known For Playing Tough Characters, Dead At 81
HipHopWired Featured Video Source: NBC / Getty Yaphet Kotto made his mark in film and television by playing imposing tough guys and grizzled individuals fighting against the trials and tribulations of life. It is being reported that Kotto died on Monday (March) 15 according to an announcement from his wife via Facebook. Kotto was born November 15, 1939, in New York, N.Y. to a father reportedly of Cameroonian royalty lineage and an American mother of Panamanian and West Indian descent. Kotto began studying the craft of acting as a teenager and at 19, he made his debut as an actor in Othello. Kotto joined the Actors Studio in New York and appeared in productions on Broadway, honing his skills on stage. Kotto made his big-screen debut in 1963 in an uncredited role at 23 and the following year...
Reggie Warren Of ’80s R&B Group Troop Dead At 52
HipHopWired Featured Video Source: Instagram / @stevenrussellhartss Troop, an R&B group that first amassed fame in the 1980s, lost one of its founding members over the weekend. Reggie Warren, who has battled health issues in the past, died surrounded by family and friends this past Sunday (March 14). Troop got their start in 1987 out of Pasadena, Calif. with Steve “Random” Russell, John “Jon Jon” Harreld, Rodney Benford, Allen McNeil, and Reggie Warren. Russell took to Instagram to share news of Warren’s passing, sharing a picture of his musical partner with a loving message. “ob well done my brother I will see you on the other side. RIP Reggie Warren #DamnReggie, Russell wrote. In the body of the post, R&B singer Case, Hit-Boy, Melba Moore, CeCe Peniston, and more offered their si...
Lou Ottens, Cassette Creator, Dies at 94
In the history of recorded music, the cassette tape plays an important role, falling after vinyl and reel-to-reel, and years before the digital revolution. The inventor of cassette technology, Lou Ottens, died at the age of 94 at his home in Duizel, Brabant, Belgium. It was in 1963 that the first plastic encased cassette tape was presented at an electronics fair with the slogan “smaller than a pack of cigarettes!” That said, Ottens, who retired in 1986, said in an interview that he was not on board with the recent cassette tape boom, saying, “nothing could beat the sound of a CD.” <!– // Brid Player Singles. var _bp = _bp||[]; _bp.push({ “div”: “Brid_10143537”, “obj”: {“id”:”25115″,”width”:”480̸...
