Rachel Nagy, the frontwoman of The Detroit Cobras, has passed away. The sad news was announced via the band’s social pages, with no cause of death given. The Detroit Cobras came out of the same ’90s garage rock revival scene as The White Stripes, The Dirtbombs, and other bands. Nagy and guitarist Mary Ramirez, along with guitarist Greg Cartwright, formed the core of the group, joined by a rotating cast of other musicians throughout the years. Still an active band up until Nagy’s passing, The Detroit Cobras primarily recorded and performed covers of classic and little known R&B songs from the 1960s. Nagy’s passing was revealed by Cartwright, who wrote the following via Instagram: Dear friends, family and fans, It is with a heavy heart and great sadness that we announce the loss of our b...
HipHopWired Featured Video CLOSE Source: Derrick Salters/WENN.com / WENN Rapper and Hip-Hp pioneer Kangol Kid, born Shaun Shiller Fequiere, of UTFO fame has passed away. He was 55 years old. Early reports say Kangol passed away early Saturday morning (Dec. 18). Kangol had been bravely battling colon cancer, after being diagnosed about a year ago, and recently was paid a visit by LL Cool J in the hospital. As a member of UTFO (short for Untouchable Force Organization), which included the Educated Rapper, Doctor Ice, and Mix Master Ice, the quarter enjoyed early success, most known for their 1984 hit “Roxanne Roxanne,” which inspired a gang of answer records. Kangol’s UTFO groupmate Educated Rapper passed away in 2017. Hip-Hop heads who know their history, along with fellow legends including...
HipHopWired Featured Video Source: Paul Bergen / Getty Leonard “Hub” Hubbard, a founding member of the legendary Roots crew, has passed away. He was 62. The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that he passed away on Wednesday (Dec. 15) at Lankenau Hospital and that his step-daughter India Owens confirmed his death. OG The Roots fans will remember Hubbard as the bassist who rocked sleeveless hoodies and had an ever-present chew stick while holding down fellow members Questlove, Black Thought and the late Malik B, who passed away in 2020, while on stage. However, Hub would stop touring in 2007 as he began to battle his illness—he was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a blood cancer. Reportedly Hubbard, who lived in West Philadelphia, had been in remission until last month. “It happened quickly. He ...
HipHopWired Featured Video Source: WENN / WENN Greg Tate, a music writing and journalism titan who many consider the Godfather of Hip-Hop writing has passed away. He was 64. Duke University Press, his publisher, confirmed his passing. “We are deeply saddened to announce the death of music and cultural critic Greg Tate, author of Flyboy 2,” said Duke University Press in a statement. “Our condolences to his family, friends, and many fans. After attending Howard University, Tate’s work could be found in The Village Voice, Vibe, Spin and more. Tate’s first book, Flyboy in the Buttermilk: Essays on Contemporary America, is like a blueprint to style, depth and grace, along with pinpoints accurate social commentary, when it comes to covering Black music. His most recent work, Flyboy 2: The G...
HipHopWired Featured Video Source: @bigwan_bigload / Instagram Just when it seemed like the horrible trend was dying down, another young up and coming rapper has been killed in his hometown. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Big Wan (real name Dawan Turner) was shot and killed this past Friday (November 26) when shots were fired into a home on the 3800 block of North 13th Street. He was staying there with his mother and grandmother at the time of the shooting. He was only 19-years-old. Once praised by Pitchfork’s Alphonse Pierre as one of Milwaukee’s “finest (expletive) talker,” in the game, Wan was considered one of the city’s most promising talents to get into the music game. Just eight months later, his family will have to plan his funeral. The shooting took place at 9:0...
Source: Craig Barritt / Getty Renowned designer Virgil Abloh has passed away. He was just 41 years old. View this post on Instagram A post shared by @virgilabloh Louis Vuitton, where Abloh served as Artistic Director of Menswear, and Off-White, the brand he founded in 2012, announced his death. Abloh was reportedly battling cancer for several years before passing on Sunday, November 28. “We are all shocked after this terrible news. Virgil was not only a genius designer, a visionary, he was also a man with a beautiful soul and great wisdom,” said LVMH CEO Bernard Arnault in its statement. “The LVMH family joins me in this moment of great sorrow, and we are all thinking of his loved ones after the passing of their husband, their father, their brother or their friend.”...
HipHopWired Featured Video CLOSE Source: Craig Barritt / Getty Renowned designer Virgil Abloh has passed away. He was just 41 years old. Louis Vuitton, where Abloh served as Artistic Director of Menswear, and Off-White, the brand he founded in 2012, announced his death. Abloh was reportedly battling cancer for several years before passing on Sunday, November 28. “We are all shocked after this terrible news. Virgil was not only a genius designer, a visionary, he was also a man with a beautiful soul and great wisdom,” said LVMH CEO Bernard Arnault in its statement. “The LVMH family joins me in this moment of great sorrow, and we are all thinking of his loved ones after the passing of their husband, their father, their brother or their friend.” According to a statement on Abloh’s own IG, afte...
Hank Von Helvete, the best-known singer of long-running Norwegian death-punk act Turbonegro, has died at age 49. His passing was confirmed by his family via the Norwegian newspaper Tvedestrandsposten and through Turbonegro’s social media pages, but no cause of death was revealed. Von Helvete (real name Hans-Erik Dyvik Husby) joined Turbonegro as the band’s third lead singer in 1993, taking over for Harald Fossberg. He fronted Turbonegro until his departure in 2009, save for a hiatus that lasted from 1999 to 2002. That break was due in part to Von Helvete’s drug addiction at the time, as he was undergoing treatment for heroin dependency. During his time with Turbonegro, Von Helvete recorded several albums with the group, beginning with 1994’s Never Is Forever and ending with 2007’s Ret...
HipHopWired Featured Video Source: @iammiajaye / Instagram Two days ago the Hip-Hop world was shocked when news came out of Memphis, Tennessee that hometown hero, Young Dolph was shot and killed while picking up cookies for his mother. With the Hip-Hop world pouring out their hearts, prayers, and wishes on social media, no one had heard anything from Dolph’s immediate family until now. Taking to her own Instagram page to express her personal grief, Young Dolph’s girlfriend/baby mama, Mia Jaye thanked everyone for their support while reminding everyone that this is a particularly hard time for herself and her children. Asking for God to give her strength, Mia Jay ended her heartfelt post with a simple question: “Question is… How am I going to tell to my babies that daddy is never coming hom...