rest in peace

Keanu Reeves, Questlove & More Share Tributes To Lance Reddick

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The tragic and sudden loss of Lance Reddick shocked the world on Friday (March 17). The 60-year-old actor was doing press for his upcoming film John Wick 4 recently, and cast-mate Keanu Reeves was one of many, many fellow entertainers who posted their tributes to Lance Reddick. Moreover, the Baltimore native is perhaps best known for his role as Cedric Daniels in HBO’s The Wire, a role that garnered him immense acclaim. However, he also starred in multiple film, TV, and video game projects. The many friends in the business who shared their heartfelt goodbyes speaks to the magnitude and positive impact of his art and soul.

“We are deeply saddened and heartbroken at the loss of our beloved friend and colleague Lance Reddick,’ Reeves stated alongside Chad Stahelski, John Wick 4‘s director. “He was the consummate professional and a joy to work with. Our love and prayers are with his wife Stephanie, his children, family and friends. We dedicate the film to his loving memory. We will miss him dearly.” Another industry colleague to honor Reddick was film creative James Gunn. “Lance Reddick was an incredibly nice guy, and an incredibly talented actor,” he tweeted. “This is heartbreaking. My love goes out to all his family, friends, and collaborators.”

Lance Reddick’s Legacy Lives On

In addition, Questlove shared his heartbreak via Instagram. “I can’t take it no more. RIP Lance Reddick,” he wrote. Viola Davis also shared tender parting words via the social media platform. “Shocked!! Speechless!!” she expressed. “This talented, kind, intelligent King is gone!! I was blessed to have worked with you and blessed to have known you. Praying for comfort for your family and loved ones! Rest well Lance Reddick…..see you on the other side.”

Tragically, The Wire suffered other recent losses of some of its many great actors, Al Brown and Michael K. Williams. While many other famous figures keep Lance’s memory alive, he’s most importantly preserved through his family. As such, many shared their condolences for his wife Stephanie and his children, Yvonne Nicole and Christopher. See some more tributes below and share your favorite work, memories, or great contributions from this incredible actor.
Rest In Peace Lance Reddick.

The Entertainment Industry Remembers Lance With Tributes

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Diddy Honors Biggie Smalls On Anniversary Of His Passing

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It’s been 26 years to the day since hip-hop lost one of its most impactful, resonant, and powerful voices. While the tragedy of his passing isn’t lost on anyone, millions around the world continue to keep The Notorious B.I.G. alive. For example, Diddy made an Instagram post on Thursday (March 9) honoring Biggie on the anniversary of his tragic death in Los Angeles. “There will NEVER be another,” Puff wrote as a caption to a video of a B.I.G. interview. “The GREATEST RAPPER OF ALL TIME. Today we celebrate and honor you king. Love and miss you!!”

In that clip, the legendary MC spoke on maintaining his originality, freshness, and unique voice as an artist. “Don’t be the fool to just sit back and do it because somebody else is doing it,” the Brooklyn native expressed. “Because those of you who do just gon’ follow in somebody else’s footsteps, and you just gon’ be a shadow. Who wanna be a shadow for the rest of their life, you know what I’m saying? If you got a lil’ something’ that you know how to do, progress that and keep trying. I mean, God knows what could happen. That’s what I did. Just kept on walking, just happened to get to the right ends.”

Diddy’s Tribute To Biggie Smalls On Anniversary Of His Tragic Loss

Most recently, Nas spoke on how Biggie influenced his classic album It Was Written, shortly before the anniversary of his death arrived. “Biggie made it different, where you can’t just be the hot dude that they liked from New York to Connecticut to Virginia,” he expressed. “You got to hit the mainstream. You got to touch the world.” Elsewhere in the interview, he said that they inspired each other in many different ways. For example, Nas working with Dr. Dre possibly opened up the doors for Biggie to work with Bone Thugs-N-Harmony.

Meanwhile, this year will also mark what would’ve been Big’s 51st birthday in May. Last year, Lil’ Kim penned an inspiring message for his 50th. “He was more than just a rapper more than an artist; he was an educator, he was a poet, obviously a writer. He was a prophet, he was here to do more than just make some songs or record a couple of albums, which is at the end of the day, that’s what he did. And he did way more than that in his spare time.” Join us in honoring Biggie Smalls with your favorite tracks, albums, or moments in the comments, and if you don’t know, now you know.

GloRilla Concert Stampede Victim Rhondesia Belton Remembered By Loved Ones

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Rhondesia Belton, referred to by her loved ones as Desia, was remembered by those close to her after she passed due to a concert stampede at a recent GloRilla concert. Moreover, the rapper shared the bill with Finesse2Tymes at a Rochester, New York show of over 4,000 attendees. After false reports of a shooting scattered concertgoers leaving the venue, nine were injured, with two hospitalized in critical condition. Belton, a 33-year-old mother, tragically passed away after authorities took her to a medical facility. As such, many expressed their grief on social media.

For example, Marie Verse made a dedication post on Facebook. She seems to be a parent who took their child to the same daycare as Belton. “You were one of the most dedicated loving moms that I know,” she wrote. “Your son was your world. You don’t even like to go outside because you like to be home with your son. So this breaks my heart so bad that you took time out for yourself just to enjoy life a little bit.” In addition, friend Kandra Barrett thanked Belton for supporting her business and sticking by her sister.

GloRilla Concert Crowd Surge Victim Lives On

Meanwhile, Danielle Gallon knew Belton since she was nine years old and expressed her heartbreak, as did friend Zontail Lamar. While her loss is devastating, her close ones are keeping her memory alive, something more important than any live show. During a news briefing on Monday (March 6), Police Chief David M. Smith confirmed that the stampede was due to a fear of gunshots. “We do not have any evidence of gunshots being fired or of anyone being shot or stabbed at the scene,” he stated.

“This is a tragedy of epic proportions,” expressed Rochester Mayor Malik Evans at a press conference. “It’s something that all of us who love concerts worry about. When you go to a concert you do not expect to be trampled. Your loved ones expect you to be able to come home and talk about the experience you had at that great concert.” After she heard of the incident, the Memphis rapper took to Twitter to voice concern. “I’m just now hearing about what happened wtf, praying everybody is ok.” If you want to join Rhondesia Belton’s loved ones in honoring her, check the link below to see some of their tributes.
Rest In Peace Rhondesia Belton.

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De La Soul Share Tribute To Trugoy The Dove

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De La Soul just shared a touching Instagram tribute to their fallen member David Jude Jolicoeur, better known as Dave, J.D. Dove, or Trugoy the Dove. Moreover, member Maseo penned a dedication on the group’s official Instagram page, along with a picture of them signing their first record deal with Tommy Boy. “Dave, thank you so much for being in my life,” Plug Three wrote. “Although you and I would argue like hell, we would both admit when we were wrong and totally come full circle and say, ‘I Love You.’ I want to truly thank you for having the birds eye view of our collective vision to be a group.”

“Before Trugoy The Dove, I met J.D. Dove aside being called Dave in 1985,” he continued. “I remember your mom calling you Dove, so you’ve always had wings. So go on and fly into the light, Merce and I will make sure your legacy is well preserved. ‘We Are De La Soul’ for life and after life, but obviously, it will never be the same. On one end I’m happy you no longer have to suffer the pain of your condition. On the other hand I’m extremely upset at the fact that you’re not here to celebrate and enjoy what we worked and fought so hard to achieve.”

Maseo’s Touching Tribute To Trugoy The Dove

Also, Posdonous penned a message of his own on their page as well, calling Dave “the heart of the group. You brought so much creativity, energy, and passion to our music. Your influence will be felt for years to come. Your passing is a great loss not only to us, but also to the entire hip-hop community. You were a true artist who used music to inspire and uplift others. You will be deeply missed by all who knew you.”

“We would like to say thank you Dave for being a big brother,” Plug One concluded. “Thank you for being a friend, thank you for the wise words placed in your verses, thank you for the music you produced that is loved by so many. Thank you for never wanting to compromise the quality of our brand, thank you for helping us become a group that will remain etched in the timeline of hip hop culture as well as the fabric of music.” Read Posdonous’ tribute below and join HNHH in celebrating the life and indelible impact of Plug Two.
Long Live Trugoy The Dove.

De La Soul’s Tribute From Posdonous

Tyre Nichols: All 5 Former Memphis Police Plead Not Guilty

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The five former Memphis police officers charged with second degree murder for the death of Tyre Nichols all pleaded not guilty to the crime. Moreover, the court arraigned Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Emmitt Martin III, Desmond Mills Jr., and Justin Smith on Friday morning (February 17). Furthermore, officials also charged them with aggravated assault and kidnapping. In addition, Memphis PD terminated them from their posts on January 21, shortly after the incident. Their next court date is on May 1, and the judge said the case may take some time.

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, UNITED STATES – 2023/01/27: Protesters hold placards and a banner in Downtown Boston expressing their opinion concerning the police killing of Tyre Nichols. Around 100 demonstrators gathered at the entrance of the Boston Common, demanding justice for the killing of Tyre Nichols. Demonstrators later marched around the Boston Common and passed the Massachusetts State Capitol Building. (Photo by Vincent Ricci/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

“This is the beginning of the process,” Nichols’ mother RowVaughn Wells stated after the hearing. “I want each and every one of those police officers to look me in the face. They did not do that today.” Alongside attorney Ben Crump, Nichols’ family spoke to the media in a press conference following Friday’s hearing. “It’s important that we move swiftly toward justice, so we don’t want there to be any unnecessary delays in prosecuting this case,” Crump expressed. However, one of the police officer’s attorneys said that much about the case is still unclear.

“There’s a lot we don’t know,” said attorney William Casey, who represents defendant Martin. “There’s a lot that we don’t see, and we want to be able to present a complete picture of this stop, particularly the initial stop.” Not only did the police department fire these officers, but they shut down the SCORPION Unit they belonged to. “That particular night, you’re looking at an isolated incident and [trying] to measure the person.” That was defense attorney John Keith Perry, representative of former officer Bean.

Furthermore, the five officials beat Nichols at a traffic stop, who was a 29-year-old father. He passed away three days after the incident, and footage from the stop made rounds on media platforms. Also, authorities will issue a “statement of charges” to several more Memphis force members for policy violations in this case. While other law officials face repercussions for their involvement in the tragedy, most eyes are on the five defendants. Stay tuned to HNHH for the latest pressing updates from the Tyre Nichols case.

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Hip-Hop Mourns Trugoy The Dove: Questlove, Busta Rhymes, Chuck D & Many More

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Hip-hop figures from all over shared their heartfelt messages dedicated to De La Soul’s Trugoy the Dove, who passed away this weekend. While his cause of death is unknown as of writing this article, hip-hop aimed to celebrate his life instead. Moreover, many rappers, producers, and members of the rap world took to social media and other means to mourn the late rapper. Also, his death struck the community as excitement geared for the group’s upcoming streaming releases. As they reckon with the loss of a monumental figure in pioneering hip-hop, they dedicated heartfelt messages of love.

MOUNTAIN VIEW, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 22: Trugoy of De La Soul performs at Shoreline Amphitheatre on June 22, 2019 in Mountain View, California. (Photo by Miikka Skaffari/Getty Images)

“All too often we have to wait for tragedy to strike before we express how much someone means to us,” Questlove wrote on Instagram. “I just wanna thank them for the decades of zaniness, the fun memories of my teen years, the blueprint laid out that eventually brought Tariq [Black Thought] & i together.” Also, Busta Rhymes shared a pained reflection on his passing. “Complete Disbelief that I’m typing this right now,” he expressed on Instagram. “This one hurts Bad. Dave aka Trugoy the Dove Fly Beloved Fly.. Rest Easy King.” Furthermore, LL Cool J and Ghostface Killah commented under his post, wishing Dave safe travels.

Hip-Hop Tributes Trugoy the Dove

Furthermore, Chuck D posted a wholesome video of him and Trugoy. “#RestInBeats my bro,” he wrote, “#DeLaSoul forever.” DJ Premier also honored Trugoy via Twitter. “So sad to hear of our icons of HIP HOP Culture Pass On… We will miss you Trugoy The Dove (Plug 2) Dave Jolicoeur of DE LA SOUL…Our memories together are endless. Condolences to your family and salute Pos, Maseo and Smiles. @WeAreDeLaSoul.” In addition, Styles P shared a simple but powerful statement on Instagram. “S.I.P. Plug 2…. Legends and energy never die!!!!!”

Meanwhile, Pharrell tweeted a message to not just David Jolicoeur and his loved ones, but to all impacted by his artistry and energy. “Trugoy Dave from De La Soul has gone up to be with the day of the stars with the Master. Sending love, light and positive vibrations to his family, The Soul and everyone whose lives have been touched by his existence. Oodles and Oodles and Oodles of O’s.” You can find more tributes to Plug 2 below, and share your favorite Trugoy songs and verses in the comments. Come back to HNHH for the latest on De La Soul, Trugoy the Dove, and their forever enduring legacy.
Long Live Trugoy the Dove.

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Trugoy The Dove Of De La Soul Dead At 54

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Trugoy the Dove of the legendary hip-hop group De La Soul has passed away at age 54, the group’s publicist confirmed. David Jude Jolicoeur previously opened up concerning his congestive heart failure since 2018. Moreover, the Haitan-American MC revealed more about his condition in 2020, on an IG livestream with fellow Soul members Posnodous and Maseo. What’s more is that he ran the De La Instagram account as well, and he thanked fans for their support. De La Soul, and Trugoy as a lyricist, storyteller, and artist, changed the course of hip-hop in the late ’80s and early ’90s.

INDIO, CALIFORNIA – APRIL 13: Rapper Trugoy the Dove of the band De La Soul performs onstage during Weekend 1, Day 2 of the 2019 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival on April 13, 2019 in Indio, California. (Photo by Scott Dudelson/Getty Images for Coachella)

Recently, the trio’s social media posts celebrated the upcoming rerelease of their first six studio albums on streaming services. Furthermore, on January 3rd, De La announced the March 3rd release of much of their early catalog. These include 3 Feet High and Rising, De La Soul is Dead, Buhloone Mindstate, Stakes Is High, Art Official Intelligence: Mosaic Thump, and AOI: Bionix. Moreover, they announced the return of these classic projects via their social media pages and official website.

Trugoy the Dove’s Legacy

“3 Feet High and Rising was inspired, maybe just the state that we were in as kids, just not afraid to say, ‘This is me.’ At the same time, it also gave birth to an era, a sound, a style in Hip Hop,” Trugory said during an interview with Ebro Darden. While their music hasn’t reached streaming because of sample clearance issues and shady contract deals, things smoothed out. Following an acquisition of their catalog in 2021, the group’s work will now properly compensate them for their greatness.

Given tracks like “The Magic Number,” “Me Myself and I,” and “Plug Tunin,” Trugoy’s impact on East Coast hip-hop and beyond is indelible. Along with the rest of the Native Tongues collective, they embraced idiosyncrasy, creativity, introspection, and social change in rap. Dave’s work with De La shot the group into the hip-hop hall of fame, with 3 Feet recently inducted into the Library of Congress. While their legacy as a group will forever mark the genre, Trugoy’s voice will continue to resonate with the hearts of so many.
Rest In Peace David Jude Jolicoeur, also known as Trugoy the Dove.

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Eminem’s Stunt Double Ryan Shepard Dead After Car Crash

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Eminem’s stunt double Ryan Shepard passed away in January in Washington following a car accident. Moreover, his brother Kyle told TMZ that an oncoming pickup truck hit Ryan as he tried to cross the street. While emergency responders rushed him to a hospital, they were unable to save him. The late Shepard was 40 years old and is survived by his two children, aged 7 and 11. After his work with Marshall Mathers, he worked at Disney as a mechanical ride engineer and moved to SpaceX as a test automation engineer.

Furthermore, Ryan acted as the Detroit rapper’s stunt double during the 2000s on multiple occasions. For example, he worked on his various visual projects, including films and music videos. Also, he appeared as a photo double and stand-in. Readers may remember Em’s 2002 MTV Movie Awards performance of “Without Me,” during which Shepard played superhero alter-ego Rap Boy. In addition, Ryan joined the “Lose Yourself” star for his Anger Management tour in 2002. Following that, he also participated in shows in Japan and Europe the next year. Also, he appeared in the music video for D12’s “Purple Hills” as Slim Shady’s double.

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – NOVEMBER 05: Inductee Eminem performs on stage during the 37th Annual Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame Induction Ceremony at Microsoft Theater on November 05, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic)

Meanwhile, Eminem spoke on his legacy and his many collaborators during his Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction speech. ““I realize what an honor it is right now for me to be up here tonight,” he stated during his speech. “What a privilege it is to do the music that I love– the music that basically saved my life. I almost died from an overdose in 2007, which kind of sucked because — Hailie, plug your ears — because drugs were f**king delicious. And I thought we had a good thing going, man, but I had to go and f**k it all up and take too many.”

While MCs get most of the praise for their careers, they stand on the shoulders of thousands of unnamed collaborators. Whether it’s producers, set designers, caterers, assistants, executives, or more, those connections aren’t easily forgotten. Especially in a career as long, illustrious, and impactful as Eminem’s, let’s remember all the hands and lives that contribute to its legacy.
Rest In Peace Ryan Shepard.

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South African Rapper AKA Fatally Shot

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South African rapper AKA passed away on Friday (February 10) after a shooting in his home country. According to various reports circling around the media, AKA and another unidentified person sustained multiple gunshot wounds outside of a nightclub in Durban. Moreover, police haven’t identified a motive for the shooting, although they gave a bit more details. “I can confirm that two men were killed and one of them is a well-known rapper,” said police spokesperson Robert Netshiunda said, per New24. “Police will not [release] any names of the victims yet until a full investigation is completed.”

JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA OCTOBER 02: (SOUTH AFRICA OUT) South African rapper AKA during the exclusive launch of AKA Beam World App powered by Vodacom at the Pivot, Montecasino on Johannesburg, South Africa. AKA officially launched his much anticipated personal app in partnership with the mobile communications at an event attended by family, friends and business partners. (Photo by Oupa Bopape/Gallo Images/Getty Images)

AKA, real name Kiernan Forbes, passed shortly after culprits gunned him down near a popular nighttime spot. ALS paramedic Garrith Jamieson spoke to TimesLIVE about what occurred when medical assistance got to the scene. “On arrival, paramedics met total chaos and a scene where two men, believed to be in their late 30s, sustained multiple gunshot wounds,” he stated. “Paramedics assisted the men and unfortunately the first male sustained multiple gunshot wounds and showed no signs of life and declared deceased at the scene.”

Furthermore, paramedics found the second victim in critical condition and were unable to save them. This news is all the more tragic when you consider Forbes had much to look forward to in life. For example, AKA planned to release a new album titled Mass Country on February 24th. Also, his work included collaborations with the likes of Burna Boy and Nasty C during his career. The late rapper lives on through his music and his daughter, Kairo. While he never became the biggest star, he was well on his way to breaking into the U.S. markets. Moreover, Chuck “Jigsaw” Creekmur recently voice his sadness for the loss and reflected on an interview they did for AllHipHop.

“I cannot believe they took AKA from us,” Jigsaw wrote on Twitter. “He was such good energy. He was one of the few rappers I let my daughter meet when she was young. When he came to the states, I made sure I interviewed him for @AllHipHopcom. He was incredibly dope. #RIPAKA.”
Rest In Peace AKA.

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Tupac Painting From “Baby Boy” That John Singleton Owned Worth $75K

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A painting of Tupac Shakur from the 2001 film Baby Boy costs $75,000, which the late John Singleton left behind. Moreover, Radar Online obtained court documents from his estate on Wednesday (February 1) with an updated list of his assets. If you recall, the director passed away in 2019. However, that Tupac painting isn’t all the film memorabilia in his collection you may recognize. In fact, his estate valued his slew of items and collections at an estimated $156,700.

LOS ANGELES – FEBRUARY 1991: Director John Singleton poses for a portrait in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Aaron Rapoport/Corbis/Getty Images)

Furthermore, Singleton also owned Baby Boy‘s iconic lowrider bike, worth around $50,000. Also, the estate, run by his mother Sheila Ward, listed an original Boyz n The Hood poster worth $700. In addition, Singleton had 13 director script binders valued at $6,500. Moreover, these include scripts for classics like Poetic Justice, Shaft, Black Snake Moan, and Hustle & Flow. Overall, these items all contribute to the estate’s heft value. However, the collection also includes heaps of classic comic books and seven personal journals. According to the estate, he wrote in these journals during his time producing various movies.

When they valued them at $3,500, the filing indicated the reasoning and history behind that price tag. “[John was] a famous movie director, who had a major impact on the movie industry and movie history,” the filing read. Singleton passed unexpectedly at age 51 in April of 2019 after he suffered numerous strokes. Not only was he the first African-American nominee for Best Director at the Academy Awards, but he was also the youngest. Moreover, the Oscars nominated him for Boyz n The Hood when he was just 24 years old.

“There is not enough that can be said about John Singleton and the profound impact he made in his 51 years of life,” Los Angeles City Council President Herb J. Wesson Jr. stated in a press release. “In a time and in an industry where all the odds were stacked against him, John overcame and became the best at his craft. And more than maybe anyone, he opened people’s eyes to a reality and an experience of South Los Angeles that had been overlooked by society.”

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