Rappers We Lost In 2019

We look up to them, keep tabs on their every move, and listen to their music day in and day out. So it's always sad and shocking to hear that a rapper has passed on. Unfortunately, a large number of emcees have died in 2019, from a Grammy-nominated rapper who was killed in a place where he felt safest, to a Florida rapper with provincial hits, to an LGBTQ-identifying rapper who helped put Latin Trap on the map.

While it's disappointing that many of these rap stars died without a chance to live long lives, fans can find solace in the fact that their faves left behind unforgettable legacies and work that can be replayed as many times as they like. With that, let's take a closer look at and memorialize the rappers who passed away in 2019.

Get a kleenex (or three) if you want, because this might get sad.

England lost a good one on Feb. 9, 2019. That morning, rapper Cadet, whose real name is Blaine Johnson, tragically died in a car crash. According to the Britain's Press Association (via CNN), Cadet was en route to a performance at a Keele University in Staffordshire, when the taxi he was traveling in collided with a van. As of this writing, it's unclear which vehicle caused the impact. While the drivers of the vehicles made it out (although they were taken to a hospital with "serious injuries"), Cadet "died at the scene," according to a police statement obtained by CapitalXtra.

Cadet was apparently just starting to attract widespread attention. "Was chatting to [him] only last week about how excited [he was] for some festivals this summer," fellow musician Example tweeted after learning of Cadet's death. Music producer Manny Norte added that the 28-year-old "couldn't stop smiling" at all of the opportunities he had been getting before his death. "RIP Cadet," he concluded.

Tikey Patterson, who went by the moniker "Trap House," was seen as a legend in Phoenix, Arizona. Over the course of his 10-year career, he made a name for himself after opening for 50 Cent, E-40, and Nas (via the Arizona Republic). He was also known for his philanthropic efforts. "He was more than a leader in the music community," Justus Samuel, the founder of the local label Respect The Underground told the Phoenix New Times. "He was a leader in the urban community. He just had a voice, and he used it."

Sadly, Trap House was diagnosed with Stage 4 pancreatic cancer in the summer of 2018, which has a survival rate of 3 percent (via the Phoenix New Times). A GoFundMe was soon created to help raise money for his medical fees and living expenses while going through treatment, but he lost his battle with the disease just months later on January 19, 2019. He was just 35 years old. 

Nina Ross Da Boss was Tampa, Fla.'s best kept secret. She had tens of thousands of fans, a trove of catchy singles and freestyles, and popular mixtapes like 2012's "The Only S**t Poppin." It's a real shame that the rest of the world didn't get to know her.

According to WFLA, Nina, whose real name was Jimmiel Spillman-Ingram, was the one of the victims of a double homicide that occurred on January 8, 2019. The outlet reported that details were limited, but that the rapper had been with an unidentified male when she was fatally shot. "Spillman-Ingram's car was found crashed into a nearby home and caused some minor damage," WFLA also reported. It appears that the case is still open at the time of this writing. Authorities have asked anyone who may have information to call 813-231-6130.

The 31-year-old is survived by six children, who ranged in age from 2 months old to 11 years old at the time of her death.

Beloved rapper Bushwick Bill, a member of the legendary Houston group Geto Boys, passed away on June 9, 2019, after battling pancreatic cancer. Bill, whose real name was Richard Shaw, told TMZ in May 2019 that he had been diagnosed three months prior, which came as a shock because doctors initially said that a mass on his pancreas was benign.

Despite the grave diagnosis, Bill told the tab, "It's not like I'm afraid of dying, because ... you know, I died and came back already in June 19, 1991, so I know what it's like on the other side." Speaking to KUSF about the near-death experience, Bill said at the time he was a "homicidal maniac with suicidal tendencies," and that he shot at his "girl" and their "three-month-old baby" in order to provoke her into shooting him back. She did, and according to Bill, he was declared dead and was "being prepped for autopsy" when he awoke in the morgue. He ended up losing his right eye — a gruesome injury the Geto Boys exploited for their iconic We Can't Be Stopped album cover. 

According to TMZ, Bill was set to perform in Texas just a day before his death, but he missed the show because he was hospitalized. A publicist for the "Damn It Feels Good to Be A Gangsta" rapper said that Bill died at the hospital, surrounded by his family. His son, Javon, told the outlet that Bill's last words were, "I will love you forever." He was 52.

Filipino battle rapper Lil John was shot and killed in the Philippines province of Cavite on Oct. 20, 2019. He was 35. The rapper, whose real name was John Ross Delos Santos, was sitting on a motorbike when a gunman approached and shot him twice in the head. According to ABS-CBN News (via Coconuts Manila), Lil John died while on the way to the hospital to receive treatment.

Yahoo News reported that Lil John was on his motorcycle waiting for his girlfriend when he was approached by the gunman. At the time of this writing, authorities have yet to identify a suspect, but their investigation is focusing on a potential motive. "Love triangle is one and we are also looking into other angles," a detective stated, adding, "the investigation on the case is still ongoing."

FlipTop, a rap battle league Lil John was best known for competing in, expressed its condolences to his friends and family in a Facebook post.

Soundcloud rapper Hella Sketchy, real name Jacob Tyler Thureson, died on June 27, 2019, following an apparent drug overdose. He was 18 years old. According to a tweet from Jacob's father, Eric Thureson, Jacob "was found unresponsive on June 13th," and "was revived and brought to the ER," where he remained comatose until his death. 

"Hella Sketchy's tragic passing is a devastating loss," Atlantic Records said in a statement. "He was an enormously, creative, sensitive soul who was just beginning to show the world his talent and originality." His father tweeted, "You are not supposed to go before your father or grandfather. That's not supposed to happen. That's not how this works. We have no words."

When discussing his son's death, Erik was open and honest about the cause. "The opioid epidemic does not discriminate. The conversation regarding drugs, depression, mental illness, social media needs to be happening more openly without judgment and stigma," he tweeted, adding, "Jacob's life was not and will not be in vain." The family set up a GoFundMe to assist with Sketchy's medical expenses and "a very important documentary creating awareness on the opioid epidemic plaguing our nation and getting honest about the effects of mental illness and depression on our youth."

D.C. rapper Slim Tristan, real name Tristan Vernon Sellers, was shot and killed during an altercation outside a Woodbridge, Va. studio on Nov. 18, 2019. He was 32.

"When officers arrived, they located an unresponsive man outside in the parking area who had been shot. ... [he] was pronounced dead at the scene," The Prince William County Police Department said in a statement. "The preliminary investigation revealed that an altercation occurred at the DMV Studios located in the above area." Another local resident, Cinquan Louis Blakney, was later arrested and "charged with murder and use of a firearm in commission of a felony" in connection to the case, according to DCist."  Speaking with DCist, Andria Swanson, the mother of Sellers' son King, said he started his rap career in 2012 after serving a six-year prison stint on drug charges. The outlet reported that after producing "a series of mixtapes and singles, documenting the pain he had endured," Sellers also "turned to the church, dabbled in Christian rap," and "gave an inspirational speech" at a local high school.

Outside of his music, family and friends remember him as a loving father of three. Carrie Coleman, Sellers' grandmother, told Fox 5 that she doesn't know why anyone would want to kill him. "I don't think anyone who's spoken to me today has revealed any kind of theory or anything," she said. "It could be jealousy, any number of things. And nowadays, it really doesn't have to be anything."

Juice WRLD, real name Jarad Anthony Higgins, died on Dec. 8, 2019, after suffering a seizure in Chicago's Midway airport. He was 21. The Chicago Tribune reported that the rapper "went into cardiac arrest" as a search by federal agents of "his and his entourage's luggage" was taking place. After his girlfriend informed an agent that Higgins "takes Percocet and has a drug problem," two doses of Narcan, a drug that reversed the effects of an opioid overdose, were administered. Higgins was conscious when transported via ambulance, but declared dead at the hospital. Law enforcement sources told the outlet that along with weapons and ammunition, "41 'vacuum-sealed' bags of marijuana," and "six bottles of prescription codeine cough syrup" were discovered in the search, resulting in two of Higgins' bodyguards being "charged with illegally possessing the guns and ammunition."

According to XXL, Higgins, a Chicago native, rose to fame on Soundcloud with the songs "Old Me" and "All Girls Are the Same," which topped an impressive "5 million streams." His success on the streaming platform gave way to a March 2018 record deal with Interscope that was worth a reported $3 million. Later that year, the rapper released his debut album "Goodbye and Good Riddance," from which the breakout single "Lucid Dreams" peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100. His followup album, "Death Race for Love," debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 in 2019.

During an interview with Forbes less than a month before his death, Higgins claimed that he had "over a thousand songs" and talked about his plans for his future career. "I'm excited to release and to put a product out there for people to enjoy," he said. "I'm going to be doing a lot more than just music, though. So people should expect video art, short films, you know. There's a lot to come."