Prodigy, one-half of the seminal New York City hip-hop outfit Mobb Deep, died Tuesday at the age of 42. Mobb Deep’s publicist confirmed the rapper’s death.
“It is with extreme sadness and disbelief that we confirm the death of our dear friend Albert Johnson, better known to millions of fans as Prodigy of legendary NY rap duo Mobb Deep,” the statement read. “Prodigy was hospitalized a few days ago in Vegas after a Mobb Deep performance for complications caused by a sickle cell anemia crisis. As most of his fans know, Prodigy battled the disease since birth. The exact causes of death have yet to be determined. We would like to thank everyone for respecting the family’s privacy at this time.”
On Instagram, Prodigy’s longtime Mobb Deep partner, Havoc, posted two photos in remembrance, one of which carried the simple message: “Forever.”
Other members of the hip-hop community have also posted tributes to Prodigy online, including Nas, Lil Wayne, Ghostface Killah, Q-Tip, Method Man, Wiz Khalifa, Big Boi and Questlove.
Source: Rollingstone.com
