obits
Bob Saget, Full House Star and Stand-Up Comedian, Dies at 65
Bob Saget, best known for his role as Danny Tanner in the late ’80s/early ’90s sitcom Full House, has died at the age of 65. According to a statement from the Orlando County Sheriff’s Department, Saget was found in his room at the Ritz-Carlton in Orlando. Here’s the statement: Earlier today, deputies were called to the Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes for a call about an unresponsive man in a hotel room. The man was identified as Robert Saget & pronounced deceased on scene. Detectives found no signs of foul play or drug use in this case. Saget’s cause of death is unknown. TMZ was first to report the news of the comedian’s death. He was in Central Florida as part of a stand-up tour that was supposed to run through May. Born in Philadelphia on May 17, 1956, Saget got his start on CBS’ ...
Michael Lang, Woodstock Co-Founder, Dies at 77
Michael Lang, the promoter who is best known for creating Woodstock, has died at the age of 77. According to Billboard, Lang died from non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma at New York City’s Sloan-Kettering Hospital. His friend Michael Pagnotta also confirmed the news in a tweet late Saturday evening. Born in Brooklyn on December 11, 1944, Lang’s first event that he produced was the 1968 Miami Pop Festival. That lineup included future legends like Jimi Hendrix, John Lee Hooker and Mothers of Invention. After moving back to New York, Lang, along with John Rosenman, Artie Kornfeld and John P. Roberts, conceived what would become Woodstock. The event, which took place in August 1969, came to define a generation and was the iconic cultural moment of the 1960s. Woodstock featured now-legendary sets from Jimi...
‘The Mack’ Actor Max Julien Dies At 88
HipHopWired Featured Video Source: Michael Ochs Archives / Getty Max Julien, an actor who made a star turn as Goldie in the Blaxploitation classic The Mack, has died. Beyond acting, Julien was also a designer and sculptor among many other creative pursuits. The news was broken by comic book writer, illustrator, and journalist David F. Walker via his Instagram account. Walker shared that he first met Julien back in 1996 and forged a strong friendship as a result. From Walker’s Instagram post: Jan. 1, 1945 – Jan. 1, 2022 I met Max back in 1996. He was a great human being, and we had so many amazing conversations. He was brilliant and hilarious and charismatic… R.I.P}} Julien was born Maxwell Banks in 1933 and was raised in Washington, D.C. His acting career began in New York City via Off-Bro...
Betty White Dead At 99, Twitter Reacts #BettyWhite
HipHopWired Featured Video CLOSE Source: CBS Photo Archive / Getty Betty White, one of the most beloved figures of all time in entertainment, has enjoyed support from a fanbase that spans decades. On New Year’s Eve (Dec. 31), the veteran actress passed away at the age of 99. As reported by TMZ, reps for White say that she wasn’t battling any known illnesses and kept close to home in the midst of the pandemic. Betty Marion White was born in Oak Park, Ill., on January 17, 1922. As a baby, the family relocated to Los Angeles where she later discovered a passion for writing. Inspired by the careers of Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy, White pursued the craft of acting. While her film career began in 1945, it was in the 1950s that White found her fame in television, including her own self-tit...
NFL Hall Of Fame Legend & Broadcaster John Madden Dead At 85
HipHopWired Featured Video CLOSE Source: Focus On Sport / Getty John Madden, who made his mark as an NFL coach and later a notable broadcaster, has died. The Hall of Fame figure led the Oakland Raiders to a Super Bowl championship and is perhaps best known for the award-winning video game series that carries his name. According to a report from the NFL, Madden was not battling any known illnesses and died unexpectedly. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell issued a statement honoring the coach and broadcaster. From NFL.com: “On behalf of the entire NFL family, we extend our condolences to Virginia, Mike, Joe and their families,” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement. “We all know him as the Hall of Fame coach of the Oakland Raiders and broadcaster who worked for every major network, ...
Drakeo the Ruler, Influential L.A. Rapper, Dies at 28
Drakeo the Ruler, the influential and prolific Los Angeles rapper who is known for his deadpan flow and dark humor, has died at the age of 28. A rep for Drakeo the Ruler confirmed to SPIN the news of his death, but declined to share any further details. As the Los Angeles Times reports, there was an incident backstage at the Snoop Dogg-curated Once Upon a Time in L.A. festival at the city’s Exposition Park. At around 8:40 pm PST, the Times reported that a person was stabbed in the neck backstage, who we now know was Drakeo, and was rushed to the hospital. The festival promptly ended after the incident. The Times reported that Drakeo died at a local hospital. Born in Los Angeles’ Westmont neighborhood as Darrell Caldwell on December 1, 1993, Drakeo the Ruler rose to prominenc...
Leonard ‘Hub’ Hubbard, Longtime Bassist for The Roots, Dies at 62
Leonard “Hub” Hubbard, the longtime bassist of The Roots, has died at the age of 62 after a long battle with cancer. Hubbard’s wife, Stephanie, confirmed the news of his death to The Philadelphia Inquirer. The bassist had been with The Roots from 1992 until 2007, when he departed to fight myeloma. In a statement posted on their social media accounts, The Roots paid tribute to Hubbard. “It’s with the heaviest of hearts that we say goodbye to our brother Leonard Nelson Hubbard,” the statement said. “May your transition bring peace to your family to your friends to your fans and all of those who loved you. Rest in Melody Hub.” It’s with the heaviest of hearts that we say goodbye to our brother Leonard Nelson Hubbard. May your transition bring peace to your family to your friends to your fans ...
Author, Activist & Scholar bell hooks Dead At 69 #bellhooks
HipHopWired Featured Video CLOSE Source: The Washington Post / Getty Author, scholar, and noted feminist bell hooks became a towering figure in her decades-long career, penning dozens of books that inspired a generation of great thinkers in her wake. The prolific public intellectual has died, with reactions surfacing online reflecting on her lasting legacy.
Robbie Shakespeare Of Pioneering Reggae Duo Sly and Robbie Has Died
HipHopWired Featured Video CLOSE Source: Frans Schellekens / Getty Robbie Shakespeare, one-half of the pioneering reggae duo, Sly and Robbie, has died. Shakespeare was a noted bassist who worked alongside fellow reggae legends such as Bob Marley and Peter Tosh while lending his talents to other musicians such as The Rolling Stones and more. Born Robert Warren Dale Shakespeare in East Kingston, Jamaica, on September 27, 1953, Shakespeare got his start early on as his family’s home was a hub for many Jamaican artists and musicians according to a 2012 interview with United Reggae. In the piece, Shakespeare revealed that he learned the art of bass playing from Aston “Family Man” Barrett, sticking close to his mentor before he went on to become a bassist for The Wailers. It was around the mid-1...
Gared O’Donnell, Planes Mistaken for Stars Singer, Dies at 44
Gared O’Donnell, the singer of post-hardcore band Planes Mistaken for Stars, has died. He was 44. The band shared the news in a social media post. In August 2020, O’Donnell revealed he had Stage 3 esophageal cancer. “It is impossible to express the depth of sorrow in which we must announce that Gared O’Donnell, our brother, our leader, our captain, who has done more to cultivate love and light in this world than any of us can understand, has moved on from his physical form here with us and crossed the rainbow bridge into the eternal ether. In his final days/hours, he was surrounded by the love of his family, his friends, his bandmates, and many others from afar,” the statement said. O’Donnell joined forces with guitarist Mat Bellinger, drummer Mike Ricketts, and bassist Aaron Wise to form ...
Mick Rock, Legendary Music Photographer, Dies at 72
Mick Rock, the legendary rock photographer who captured iconic images of David Bowie, Queen, Sex Pistols, and more, has died. He was 72. Rock’s family confirmed the news in a statement on his social media platforms. “It is with the heaviest of hearts that we share our beloved psychedelic renegade Mick Rock has made the Jungian journey to the other side. Those who had the pleasure of existing in his orbit, know that Mick was always so much more than ’The Man Who Shot The 70s.’ He was a photographic poet — a true force of nature who spent his days doing exactly what he loved, always in his own delightfully outrageous way,” the statement read. “Let us not mourn the loss, but instead celebrate the fabulous life and extraordinary career of Michael David Rock. While you do so in your own way, we...
Nine-Year-Old Boy Trampled at Astroworld Dies
Ezra Blount, the nine-year-old Astroworld attendee who was put in a medically-induced coma last week, has died. Blount’s family confirmed the news of death with Houston’s ABC affiliate KTRK first to report. Blount is the youngest person to die following the concert disaster that left eight dead and hundreds injured. Ezra was on his father Treston Blount’s shoulders when the deadly crowd surge started at the beginning of Travis Scott’s set at 9 pm., and the two became trapped. Blount was trampled and suffered injuries to his kidney, lung and liver. “The Blount family tonight is grieving the incomprehensible loss of their precious young son,” the family’s attorney, Ben Crump, said in a statement. “This should not have been the outcome of taking their son to a concert, what should have been a...
