The untimely death of rapper Coolio at 59 sparked up a larger conversation when physician Oni Blackstock tweeted a list of Black celebs who died at relatively young ages. The doctor tweeted a short list of some of the Black male figures in hip-hop who have died since 2020. The list includes DMX at 50, Black Rob at 57, Biz Markie at 57 and Shock G at 57.
Since 2020 (not a complete list):
DMX, 50
Biz Markie, 57
Black Rob, 52
Shock G, 57
Prince Markie D (the Fat Boys), 52
Gift of Gab (Blackalicious)
Kangol Kid (UTFO), 55
Malik B (the Roots), 47
Hub (the Roots), 62
Coolio, 59This is premature death – life expectancy for Black…
— Oni Blackstock (@oni_blackstock) September 29, 2022
The list didn’t include MF DOOM, who died at 49, or Black male celebrities outside of hip-hop like movie director John Singleton, who died at 51 in 2019; singer Jesse Powell, who died at 51; comedian David A. Arnold, who died at 54; actor Chadwick Boseman, who died at 43; actor Michael K. Williams, who died at 54; designer Virgil Abloh, who died at 41; and internet personality Kevin Samuels, who died at 57.
According to the CDC, in 2020, Black men had a life expectancy of 68.3 years, the lowest of any demographic. Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of Black men, and according to a 2021 CDC study, the condition accounted for 24.1% of the fatalities. Cancer comes in at 19.7%, Alzheimer’s Disease at 7.9%, stroke at 5% and homicide rounded out the top five at 4.5%.
The most common cause of heart disease is a buildup of fatty plaques in the arteries, according to the Mayo Clinic. Risk factors of heart disease include a poor diet, lack of exercise, obesity and smoking. Healthy lifestyle choices can help lower the risk of heart disease.
