Celebrities react to the untimely death of hip hop legend Albert “Prodigy” Johnson, a member of the New York hip-hop duo Mobb Deep.
On Tuesday, June 20, fellow rapper Nas took to Instagram where he revealed the hip hop legend, who found success in the ’90s alongside fellow rapper Havoc, died: “QB RIP King P. Prodigy 4 Ever,” he wrote.
Prodigy’s publicist confirmed to the Associated Press that he was hospitalized a few days ago in Las Vegas “for complications caused by a sickle cell anemia crisis.” The rapper had battled sickle cell since birth, though the exact cause of death has not yet been disclosed.
“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. “We would like to thank everyone for respecting the family’s privacy at this time.”
Meanwhile, TMZ reported that Johnson was wheeled out on a stretcher and taken to a nearby hospital, following a Saturday night (June 17) performance. The rapper arrived at The Mirage for an official after-party at 1OAK, where he was slated to perform at around 1:30 a.m. on Sunday, June 18. During that time, he informed his team that he wasn’t feeling his best. According to the entertainment site, those around him were so concerned that they put him on a gurney. The emergency followed an incident earlier in the evening when Johnson canceled a meet-and-greet, citing health issues. He later died at the hospital, multiple outlets report.
Not to our surprise, throughout the day, some of hip hop’s greatest, old and new, emerged to pay their respects to the trailblazing artist:
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“Family. We Mobb Deep 4 Ever. RIP PRODIGY,” penned Nas, alongside a second throwback photo featuring the lyrical genius.
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Meanwhile, N.O.R.E. recalled his most memorable moment with the rapper, sharing a brief video clip via Instagram, writing, “This was New Year’s Eve we got drunk n smoked together n put the past in the past #ripprodigy love to the whole Mobb deep family I just spoke to gotti and twin and Tyson salute ty nitty karate joe , god father n the family we here for all y’all queens lost a legend today so we gonna keep his legacy alive and what’s even crazier is im in Las Vegas still I saw him 3 days ago soon as he got off stage I offered him drinks him and hav but p said he wasn’t feeling well I thought nothing of it god bless u KING P.”
The Young Money family also . “Thank you for everything you gave us and left us with,” Drake proclaimed via Instagram. “D*mn. RiP to the great one Prodigy. Rap game lost a legend the world lost a G. ?? to and for his fam. Love. MOBB,” tweeted Lil Wayne.
For more reactions from the hip hop community, including Questlove, Q-Tip, Eve, Twista, Nicki Minaj, and many more, hit the flip.
