The hip-hop industry sees its fair share of its own that die suddenly. Sadly, this takes place each year and none of us are ready to hear the news. It’s unlike any other industry, in that we see too many rising stars with bright futures see their lives cut short.
The number of tragic deaths in hip-hop as of late has been lengthy. Chicago rapper Juice WRLD died of an overdose just days after his 21st birthday in December 2019, Nipsey Hussle was shot down in Los Angeles that March of that year, and Pop Smoke was the victim of a violent home invasion the following February. These are just a few music stars who left us too soon.
Unfortunately, the tragedy continued in 2021, as both rising and legendary hip-hop stars were added to the list. The last days in the hospital of established icons like DMX and Biz Markie were widely publicized across the globe, while the lives of young up-and-comers like Young Dolph, and most recently, Drakeo The Ruler were sadly cut short just as their careers were breaking through.
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Here’s some of the names we saw lose their lives. RIP.
DMX
In April of this year, one of hip-hop’s legendary figures in DMX died after suffering a heart attack and slipping into a coma, due to cocaine and organ failure.
It was very sad and tragic news, following well-documented years of DMX’s struggles with addiction, which dates back to his young life. He was 50 years old.
DMX left behind 15 kids, which he fathered from 9 different women. Despite selling millions of albums, he filed for bankruptcy on three different occasions.
Gift of Gab
Gift of Gab was a member of beloved hip-hop duo Blackalicious. He passed away in 2021 at the age of 50. According to multiple reports, the rapper’s health had deteriorated in recent years, went on dialysis for renal failure back in 201. His health troubles resurfaced in 2020, resulting in a kidney transplant that unfortunately didn’t turn things around. He died a year later.
Black Rob
Black Rob was a New York rapper that rose to fame in the early 2000s under Bad Boy Records founder Diddy. He passed away in April at just 52 years old.
There were many reports that indicated that the rapper had suffered from health issues over the years and was rushed to an Atlanta hospital following a heart attack.
His life wasn’t without controversy. After breaking out in 2000 with the smash hit “Whoa!”, Black Rob would find himself in prison after being convicted of a robbery in 2004.
Baby CEO
Before his tragic death, Baby CEO had been a divisive figure in the rap world. The Memphis rapper burst onto the scene in his teens under the tutelage of his late mentor, Fredo Santana. However, his life was cut short after he was shot in January and killed. He was just 20 years old.
CEO was involved in a fight in Frayser, Tennessee, prior to the shooting.
Drakeo The Ruler
Drakeo The Ruler was a rising hip-hop star hailing from Los Angeles, California. He was booked to perform at the Once Upon a Time in LA music festival in December 2021, and got into some sort of altercation and was fatally stabbed. He was 28 years old.
Drakeo was praised as one of “the most original West Coast stylist in decades” by the L.A. Times.
