Mac Dre (Born Andre Hicks)
July 5, 1970 – November 1, 2004
Born Andre Hicks, Mac Dre was a San Francisco Bay area rapper who built a following during the ’90s due to his songs that chronicled life on the tough streets around him. Throughout his career, he had several hits, including “Too Hard For This Fuckin’ Radio” and “California Livin.” He also worked with the likes of Snoop Dogg, Too Short and Warren G. Hicks started his own label in 2000, calling it Thizz Entertainment, where he was instrumental in the development of the hyphy sub-genre of rap. Andre Hicks was 34 when he was gunned down by the occupants of another vehicle while he riding in a van with a friend. Though the case has never been solved, a Kansas City rapper by the name of Anthony “Fat Tone” Watkins was killed the following year in what is believed by some to be in retaliation for the murder of Hicks.
Jam-Master Jay (Born Jason Mizell)
January 21, 1965 – October 30, 2002
Jason Mizell, who went by the stage name, Jam-Master-Jay, was a musician in and DJ for Run D.M.C., arguably the most influential rap group ever. In 2009, they would become the first hip-hop act to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. An accomplished drummer, keyboardist and bass player, Mizell performed in a handful of bands before joining up with Joseph Simmons and Darryl McDaniels to form Run D.M.C. in 1983. The group, who sold upwards of seven million albums, was positioned at number 48 in Rolling Stone’s list of the greatest musical acts of all time. They were even instrumental in bridging the gap between rap and rock. Their cover of Aerosmith’s “Walk This Way,” with guests, Steven Tyler and Joe Perry, was one of the most popular songs of the era. On October 30, 2002, Jam-Master-Jay, 37, was in his recording studio when two assailants came in and shot and killed him. The murder remains unsolved.
Johnny J (Born Johnny Jackson)
August 28, 1969 – October 3, 2008
“Johnny J”Jacksonwas a hip hop producer and rapper who, over the course of his career, produced albums and records that sold in the millions. Born in Mexico and raised in South Central Los Angeles, Jackson’s career kicked into high gear in 1990 when he produced a “one-hit-wonder” for his friend Candall Mason, better known as Candyman. That song was “Knockin’ Boots,” which helped Candyman’s Shame In The Game album go platinum. The success of “Knockin’ Boots” opened the door for Jackson to meet Tupac Shakur, giving him the opportunity to produce tracks on Shakur’s All Eyez On Me and Me Against The World abums. In all, Jackson produced approximately 100 songs for Shakur. In later years, he collaborated with Bizzy Bone and Tatyana Ali. “Johnny J” Jackson was 39 years old when he allegedly commited suicide by leaping from an upper tier of L.A.’s Twin Towers Jail where he was serving time for DUI.
Mr. Magic (Born John Rivas)
DOB Unknown – October 2, 2009
Mr. Magic was a New York City disc jockey who helped bring hip-hop and rap to a much wider audience during the early ’80s. Premiering on WBLS in 1983, Mr. Magic’s “Rap Attack” program was the first to ever play hip hop exclusively on any major radio station in the U.S. For the next six years, the show helped launch the careers of such artists as Whodini, Marley Marl and Boogie Down Productions. He was also noted as an influence on the likes of Tupac Shakur and the Notrorius B.I.G. Younger generations may recoginize his name and voice as the DJ on Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. Mr. Magic died of a heart attack on October 2, 2009.
Roc Raida (Born Anthony Williams)
1972(?) – September 19, 2009
Roc Raida was a DJ / Turntablist primarily known for his work with the X-Ecutioners, a crew of New York DJs who gained popularity in the ’90s. They collaborated with many hip hop greats including Cypress Hill and Kool G Rap. In 2002, the X-Ecutioners released Built From Scratch on Loud Records. An innovator on the turntable, Raida worked on recordings by the likes ofBig Pun and Buckshot LeFonque with Branford Marsalis. In August of 2009, unconfirmed reports indicated that Raida was in the hospital with a serious spinal chord injury sustained in an automobile accident. According to several online sources, 37 year old Roc Raida died on September 19, 2009, possibly a result of the earlier car accident.
DJ AM (Born Adam Goldstein)
March 30, 1973 – August 28, 2009
DJ AM was found dead in his New York apartment at 5:20 local time on Augutst 28, 2009. Cause of death was not initially released, but on September 29, 2009, the coroner’s report was released. In it, it was concluded that Goldstein died of acute intoxication, or accidental overdose of various drugs including cocaine, Xanax and OxyContin. DJ AM first came to prominence in the late ’90s rock band, Crazy Town, whose “Butterfly” was a radio hit in 2001. A popular DJ with celebrities, he’s been known to play parties for the likes of Leonardo DiCaprio, Madonna and Will Smith. In recent years DJ AM was collaborating with Travis Barker of Blink 182. The two survived a horrific private plane crash on September 19, 2008. Four others were killed in the crash. In 2005, DJ AM was engaged to Nicole Richie but the engagement was later called off.
Scott “La Rock” Sterling
March 2, 1962 – August 27, 1987
Scott “La Rock” Sterling was a social worker and DJ when he met rapper KRS-One in 1986. The two along with D-Nice, formed rap group Boogie Down Productions in 1986. The group helped usher in what would later be called ganster rap with their gritty songs that married dancehall reggae with hip hop. Their debut hit album, Criminal Minded is considered a cornerstone of the genre. Scott Sterling died in a hospital operating room shortly after being shot by alleged hoods in the South Bronx. He was just 25.
Baatin (Born Titus Glover)
March, 1974 – July 31, 2009
Coming to prominence in the Detroit’s underground rap scene of the ’90s, Baatin was part of the popular rap group, Slum Village. The group released several albums throughout it’s career, including a couple for Capitol Records. Baatin left the group in 2002 due to undisclosed health reasons. He passed away at the age of 35 on July 31, 2009. Cause of death has not been released.
K-Swift (Born Khia Edgerton)
October 19, 1980 – July 21, 2008
Khia Edgerton, aka DJ K-Swift was a popular Baltimore area DJ. She died after fracturing her neck in what was ruled a swimming accident when she dived into her backyard pool. Edgerton first interned at local radio station 92Q, while in college, and soon went to work for them full time. In 1998, she began co-hosting a program which became Baltimore’s highest rated radio show. Edgerton was also a popular draw at the local clubs and owned her own label, graphics company and management company. She was 27 when she died.
Trouble T Roy (Born Troy Dixon)
October 19, 1967 – July 15, 1990
Trouble T Roy was a hip-hop dancer best known for his work with Heavy D & the Boyz for three years during the late ’80s. While on tour with the group in July of 1990, Trouble T Roy accidentally fell from a theater balcony while horsing around with other members of the group. He died at an area hospital from his head injuries. He was just 22.
Tero “Camu Tao” Smith June 26, 1977 – May 25, 2008
Camu Tao was a Columbus, Ohio rapper and producer. Tao was also part of rap groups S.A Smash and the Weathermen. He also worked alongside El-P in Central Service Production. Camu Tao died of lung cancer at the age of 30.
VL Mike (Born Michael Allen)
January 19, 1976 – April 20, 2008
VL Mike was an up-and-coming rap star from New Orleans. A so called “gangsta” rapper, he was part of Chopper City Boyz whose debut was released in 2007. VL Mike soon left the group after apparently being at odds with the head of his label. He was set to release his solo debut in April of 2008 when he was shot and killed. His killer has yet to be caught.
Tony D (Born Anthony Depula)
1967(?) – April 4, 2009
Tony D (right) with Russell Simmons
Trenton, New Jersey’s Anthony Depula (aka Tony D) was a veteran hip hop producer who started his career as a DJ in the mid ’80s by accident. As a young fan of the music, he liked to help set up gear at parties and dances around town, so one night when the hired DJ failed to show up, he was told to get up there and do it. He never looked back. Tony D soon got into management, representing MC Serch of 3rd Base at one time. But his true calling was as a producer. Over the past two decades, he produced such as acts DJ Muggs, Young Zee, The Outsidaz, King Sun, and most famously, Poor Righteous Teachers, on their “Rock Dis Funky Joint,” a chart topping hip hop classic from 1990. Anthony Depula was killed in what appears to have been a single car accident in Hamilton, New Jersey.
Born Raymond Rogers, Freaky Tah was a rapper from Queens, New York. He worked primarily with The Lost Boyz, a chart topping and gold selling hip hop group during the mid to late ’90s. Tah was gunned down as he left a birthday party for fellow Lost Boy, Mr. Cheeks.
Eazy-E (Born Eric Wright)
September 7, 1963 – March 26, 1995
Eric “Eazy-E” Wright was born September 7, 1964, in Compton, CA, a rough part of the Los Angeles metro area that N.W.A. would later make notorious. A high school dropout, Wright turned to drug dealing to support himself, and eventually used the profits to start his own rap label, Ruthless Records, with partner and music-business veteran Jerry Heller. E discovered a major performing talent in the D.O.C., and recruited Ice Cube and Dr. Dre to write songs for his stable of artists. When their composition “Boyz-N-the Hood” was rejected by Ruthless signee HBO, Cube, Dre, and E formed the first version of N.W.A. to record it themselves. Their first album, N.W.A. and the Posse, was released in 1987 and largely ignored; after a few tweaks of the lineup and the rough-edged subject matter, 1988’s Straight Outta Compton made N.W.A. into superstars. E seized the opportunity to release a solo project later in the year, titled Eazy-Duz-It, which would be the only full-length album he would complete; it would sell well over two-million copies. After Ice Cube’s bitter departure from N.W.A. toward the end of 1989 (precipitated in part by Heller’s business tactics), Eazy-E took over his not inconsiderable share of the rapping and songwriting duties, becoming the group’s dominant voice on 1991’s Efil4zaggin. His taste for cartoon-ish vulgarity began to undermine the claims of realistic inner-city reporting that the group had used to defend themselves. Disputes between the members led to N.W.A.’s breakup that summer, and a court battle between Ruthless and Dre’s new label Death Row soon followed, with Eazy alleging that Death Row head Suge Knight had coerced Ruthless into releasing Dre from his contract. The case was eventually thrown out, but a bitter feud between Dre and Eazy raged for the next several years; Dre’s seminal solo debut The Chronic made merciless fun of Eazy. E’s 1992 solo EP 5150 Home 4 tha Sick sold well, but did little to dispel his increasingly cartoon-ish image; he found more success running the Ruthless label, with a roster that included Above the Law, N.W.A. bandmate MC Ren, the poorly received all-female group H.W.A. (Hoez With Attitude), and, eventually, the lucrative Bone Thugs-N-Harmony. Eazy addressed his feud with Dre on the 1993 EP It’s On (Dr. Dre) 187um Killa, which famously included an actual photo of Dre wearing makeup and sequins during his World Class Wreckin’ Cru days. Still, save for dissing Dre, Eazy didn’t seem to have much to say, and despite healthy record sales, his artistic credibility was declining at an alarming rate. Eazy didn’t help matters much when, in early 1993, he spoke out in support of Theodore Briseno, the only LAPD officer involved in the Rodney King beating to express displeasure; later in the year, he paid 2,500 dollars to attend a Republican fund-raiser, which his detractors saw as a further betrayal of his roots. In early 1995, Eazy entered the hospital with respiratory difficulties, believing he had developed asthma. The diagnosis was far more serious: he had contracted AIDS. Eazy announced his plight to the public shortly thereafter, winning admiration for his straightforward attitude. Sadly, just a few weeks later, on March 26, 1995, the disease claimed his life. – Steve Huey (allmusic)
The Notorious B.I.G. (Born Christopher Wallace)
May 21, 1972 – March 9, 1997
Christopher Wallace (AKA The Notorious B.I.G.; Biggie Smalls) was an East Coast Rapper signed to Sean “Puffy” Combs’ Bad Boy Records. Although Biggie had some run-ins with the law, his musical talent could not be denied. And just as that talent was catapulting him to the upper stratosphere of the musical world, Biggie’s alleged life of crime and involvement in a festering East Coast vs West Coast feud, as he was executed in a hail of bullets outside the Soul Train Awards in Los Angeles, CA. The crime remains unsolved and is ripe with theories involving Marion “Suge” Knight, the LAPD, the Crips and the Bloods. He was married to R&B singer, Faith Evans.
J Dilla aka Jay Dee (Born James Yancey)
February 7, 1974 – February 10, 2006
Frequently and rightly placed in the same context as DJ Premier, Pete Rock, and Kanye West, Jay Dee built and sustained a high standing as a producer’s producer while maintaining a low profile. When Pharrell Williams appeared on BET’s 106 & Park in 2004, he excitedly declared that Jay Dee was his favorite producer and told an audibly stumped crowd that it had probably never heard of the man. At the time, Jay Dee had been active for well over a decade and had netted enough beats — including the Pharcyde’s “Runnin’,” De La Soul’s “Stakes Is High,” Common’s “The Light,” and several others with production teams the Ummah and the Soulquarians — to be considered an all-time great. Alternately known as J Dilla, or just Dilla, he never produced a mainstream smash and, in many cases, his presence has to be confirmed with a liner notes scan. (And even then, that might not help; he occasionally went uncredited.) He never marked his territory like Just Blaze (“Just Blaze!”) or Jazze Pha (“This is a Jazze Phizzle produc-shizzle!”), and he never hogged the mike like P. Diddy. He let his music, and its followers, do the talking. Rather than provide immediate (or fleeting) thrills, he was hooked on working the subconscious as much as the neck muscles. He was so focused on his work that it took a severe toll on his health. Born and raised on the east side of Detroit, Dilla — James Yancey — was forced by his parents to become involved with music, and he was a record fanatic at a young age, absorbing funk and rap singles and jazz albums, from Slave to Jack McDuff. He learned to play cello, keyboards, trumpet, and violin, but drums got him like nothing else. He tried his hand at producing tracks on a tape deck by using the pause and record buttons, and he also took up MCing. In 1988, he formed Slum Village with Pershing High School friends Baatin and T3. It wasn’t until 1992, after receiving some valuable guidance from fellow Detroiter Amp Fiddler, that his talent really began to take shape. A session keyboardist who had worked with Prince, Parliament, and Enchantment, Fiddler taught Dilla how to use the MPC drum machine. To say that Dilla was a quick study would be an understatement. Fiddler introduced his protégé to A Tribe Called Quest’s Q-Tip, who heard some of Slum Village’s material, liked it, and helped get the word out. Following sessions with First Down (a collaboration with Phat Kat, another Detroiter), Little Indian, and alternative rocker Poe, Dilla’s production career reached full flight. In 1996 alone, he worked with Busta Rhymes, De La Soul, and the Pharcyde, all the while playing a major role in the Ummah with Q-Tip and Ali Shaheed Muhammad. (He did extensive work on Tribe’s last two albums.) Before long, hardcore hip-hop fans began to know Dilla for his steady wobble, which was unfailingly musical and rich in details — shuffling high-hats, oddly placed handclaps, spacious drum loops with drastically reshaped samples of tracks both obscure and obvious. Through the remainder of the ’90s, Dilla quietly racked up more output, including Janet Jackson’s “Got ’til It’s Gone” (for which he did not receive credit), additional tracks for the Pharcyde, and collaborative work with Q-Tip on all of 1999’s Amplified. Largely upbeat and filled with boisterous energy and thick sounds, Amplified is one of many pieces of evidence against the argument that Dilla was about one sound and one style. During the producer’s steady rise, Slum Village remained a priority; Fantastic, Vol. 2 and Best Kept Secret (credited to J-88, an SV pseudonym) were released within weeks of each other in 2000. However, the producer would only contribute a few tracks to the group from then on, as his schedule became increasingly tight. As a core member of the Soulquarians, with James Poyser and the Roots’Ahmir “?eustlove” Thompson, Dilla worked on Common’s Like Water for Chocolate, D’Angelo’sVoodoo, Erykah Badu’sMama’s Gun, and Talib Kweli’sQuality. Through 2005, he continued to work with past associates while dipping his toes further in R&B. A favor was returned on Fiddler’s 2004-released Waltz of a Ghetto Fly, and a couple dynamite tracks — Steve Spacek’s “Dollar” and longtime collaborator Dwele’s “Keep On” — were released the following year. Amazingly, from 2001 on, Dilla was also a prolific solo artist. A couple singles and the Welcome 2 Detroit album came out in 2001, and a number of low-key instrumental compilations and incidental 12″ singles followed shortly thereafter. Rarely praised for his mike skills, he was often assisted by the likes of Phat Kat, Lacks, and Frank-n-Dank. Wooed by a Madlib mixtape that featured the rhymes of Oxnard’s finest over his own beats, Dilla forged an alliance with his admirer for 2003’s Champion Sound, released under the name Jaylib. It was around this time that his health took a sharp decline. For over two years, he had to use a dialysis machine. Despite having to perform in a wheelchair, he was still able to tour in Europe during late 2005. Donuts, an album of instrumentals that had been completed during one of his extended hospital stays, was released on February 7, his 32nd birthday. Three days later, while staying at his Los Angeles home with his mother, he passed away, a victim of cardiac arrest. – Andy Kellman (allmusic)
Christopher “Big Punisher” Rios
November 9, 1971 – February 7, 2000
The first solo Latino rapper to go platinum, Big Punisher was also yet another member of the hip-hop community to fall victim to an early death — though in his case, it was due to health problems, not violence. In contrast to his large frame, Big Pun was a surprisingly graceful and nimble rapper, delivering his often clever, tongue-twisting rhymes at a torrential pace. Big Pun was born Christopher Rios on November 10, 1971, and grew up in the South Bronx’s Puerto Rican community. He endured a rough childhood in an unstable home, and moved out when he was 15, dropping out of high school around the same time. Still, he continued his education on his own, and became interested in rapping and breakdancing (he was a solid athlete during his teen years). In 1989, under the name Big Moon Dog, he and several friends formed a street-corner rap group called the Full a Clips Crew. He later changed his name to Big Punisher, after the Marvel Comics superhero, and caught his big break when he met and impressed fellow Bronx rapper Fat Joe in 1995. He guested on a couple of Fat Joe tracks, “Fire Water” (which also featured Raekwon) and “Watch Out,” and following an appearance on Funkmaster Flex’sThe Mix Tape, Vol. 1, quickly made a name for himself in the underground community. He guested prominently on the Beatnuts‘ “Off the Books” in 1997, and also worked with B Real and Flesh-N-Bone. Pun scored an underground hit of his own with “I’m Not a Player” in 1997, and also contributed “You Ain’t a Killer” to the Soul in the Hole basketball documentary. With Fat Joe’s help, he secured a deal with Loud Records.Big Pun’s solo debut, Capital Punishment, was released in 1998 and debuted in the Top Five thanks to “Still Not a Player,” a club-ready remix of “I’m Not a Player” that proved massively popular. Earning credibility in the hardcore rap world as well, Capital Punishment went on to sell over two million copies. The following year, Pun teamed up with his mentor, Fat Joe, and several up-and-coming MCs to form the Terror Squad, which released a self-titled debut album. Pun stayed in the public eye with guest work on records by Noreaga and Jennifer Lopez (the hit “Feelin’ So Good,” which also featured Fat Joe) while working on his second album. Unfortunately, his longtime struggles with overeating and obesity were beginning to get the better of him. At Fat Joe’s urging, he checked into a weight-loss clinic in North Carolina, where he lost 80 pounds. However, he returned to the Bronx before finishing the program, and gained back everything he’d lost, plus some extra; reports had his weight fluctuating between 450-700 pounds during his last few years. Tragically, but perhaps not unpredictably, Big Punisher suffered a fatal heart attack on February 7, 2000; he was only 28 years old. – Steve Huey (allmusic)
Born Andre Hicks, Mac Dre was a San Francisco Bay area rapper who built a following during the ’90s due to his songs that chronicled life on the tough streets around him. Throughout his career, he had several hits, including “Too Hard For This Fuckin’ Radio” and “California Livin.” He also worked with the likes of Snoop Dogg, Too Short and Warren G. Hicks started his own label in 2000, calling it Thizz Entertainment, where he was instrumental in the development of the hyphy sub-genre of rap. Andre Hicks was 34 when he was gunned down by the occupants of another vehicle while he riding in a van with a friend. Though the case has never been solved, a Kansas City rapper by the name of Anthony “Fat Tone” Watkins was killed the following year in what is believed by some to be in retaliation for the murder of Hicks.
Jason Mizell, who went by the stage name, Jam-Master-Jay, was a musician in and DJ for Run D.M.C., arguably the most influential rap group ever. In 2009, they would become the first hip-hop act to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. An accomplished drummer, keyboardist and bass player, Mizell performed in a handful of bands before joining up with Joseph Simmons and Darryl McDaniels to form Run D.M.C. in 1983. The group, who sold upwards of seven million albums, was positioned at number 48 in Rolling Stone’s list of the greatest musical acts of all time. They were even instrumental in bridging the gap between rap and rock. Their cover of Aerosmith’s “Walk This Way,” with guests, Steven Tyler and Joe Perry, was one of the most popular songs of the era. On October 30, 2002, Jam-Master-Jay, 37, was in his recording studio when two assailants came in and shot and killed him. The murder remains unsolved.
Mr. Magic was a New York City disc jockey who helped bring hip-hop and rap to a much wider audience during the early ’80s. Premiering on WBLS in 1983, Mr. Magic’s “Rap Attack” program was the first to ever play hip hop exclusively on any major radio station in the U.S. For the next six years, the show helped launch the careers of such artists as Whodini, Marley Marl and Boogie Down Productions. He was also noted as an influence on the likes of 
Roc Raida was a DJ / Turntablist primarily known for his work with the X-Ecutioners, a crew of New York DJs who gained popularity in the ’90s. They collaborated with many hip hop greats including Cypress Hill and Kool G Rap. In 2002, the X-Ecutioners released Built From Scratch on Loud Records. An innovator on the turntable, Raida worked on recordings by the likes of 
DJ AM was found dead in his New York apartment at 5:20 local time on Augutst 28, 2009. Cause of death was not initially released, but on September 29, 2009, the coroner’s report was released. In it, it was concluded that Goldstein died of acute intoxication, or accidental overdose of various drugs including cocaine, Xanax and OxyContin. DJ AM first came to prominence in the late ’90s rock band, Crazy Town, whose “Butterfly” was a radio hit in 2001. A popular DJ with celebrities, he’s been known to play parties for the likes of Leonardo DiCaprio, Madonna and Will Smith. In recent years DJ AM was collaborating with Travis Barker of Blink 182. The two survived a horrific private plane crash on September 19, 2008. Four others were killed in the crash. In 2005, DJ AM was engaged to Nicole Richie but the engagement was later called off.
Scott “La Rock” Sterling was a social worker and DJ when he met rapper KRS-One in 1986. The two along with D-Nice, formed rap group Boogie Down Productions in 1986. The group helped usher in what would later be called ganster rap with their gritty songs that married dancehall reggae with hip hop. Their debut hit album, Criminal Minded is considered a cornerstone of the genre. Scott Sterling died in a hospital operating room shortly after being shot by alleged hoods in the South Bronx. He was just 25.
Coming to prominence in the Detroit’s underground rap scene of the ’90s, Baatin was part of the popular rap group, Slum Village. The group released several albums throughout it’s career, including a couple for Capitol Records. Baatin left the group in 2002 due to undisclosed health reasons. He passed away at the age of 35 on July 31, 2009. Cause of death has not been released.
Khia Edgerton, aka DJ K-Swift was a popular Baltimore area DJ. She died after fracturing her neck in what was ruled a swimming accident when she dived into her backyard pool. Edgerton first interned at local radio station 92Q, while in college, and soon went to work for them full time. In 1998, she began co-hosting a program which became Baltimore’s highest rated radio show. Edgerton was also a popular draw at the local clubs and owned her own label, graphics company and management company. She was 27 when she died.
