R&B singer B. Smyth has died at the age of 28, his brother confirmed on Instagram on Nov. 17.
“On behalf of my brother and my family, we want to say thank you to all of you for all of your love and support throughout the years,” Denzil, his brother, posted. “We ask for privacy during these difficult times. We also want to say thank you for all of your prayers. #RIPBSMYTH Love you bro!”
Denzil said his brother experienced respiratory failure after a long battle with pulmonary fibrosis. His fans have recently started a social media challenge to his latest single “Twerkoholic, Pt 2,” much to the delight of the singer in his final days.
“My brother was very excited to see a lot of you create challenges for his latest-released single #Twerkoholic part 2 while he was in the ICU,” Denzil wrote. “It really brought him a big smile to his face.”
In addition to his first “Twerkoholic” song, another single with much popularity Smyth was a part of was LightSkinKeisha’s “Ride Good.”
“Rest in paradise B. Smyth,” Keisha tweeted on Nov. 18. “It was a pleasure to have worked with you in this lifetime. You were apart of one of my biggest records today, and I am grateful for that. Such a great artist and a talented soul. Sending my condolences to him and his loved ones. Hug your people tight.”
Denzil also said the family is considering live-streaming his funeral for fans outside of Florida to watch.
Smyth signed with Motown Records in 2012, where he was considered a teenage phenom. He received plenty of support from many people in the industry, including the “Joe Budden Podcast.” During the podcast’s tour show in Atlanta, Smyth was the night’s musical guest as he performed “Ride Good.”
