Grammy-Nominated Musician, Recording Artist John Forté Found Dead at 50

The local police chief said there were no immediate signs of foul play and no readily apparent cause of death.

John Forté attends "Kerouac's Road: The Beat Of A Nation" premiere at the 2025 Tribeca Festival at SVA Theater in New York City on June 5, 2025. Theo Wargo/Getty Images for Tribeca Festival

John Forté, Grammy-nominated musician and longtime collaborator with the Fugees, was found dead Monday in his home in Chilmark, Massachusetts. He was 50 years old.

Chilmark Police Chief Sean Slavin said there were no immediate signs of foul play and no readily apparent cause of death. The matter remains under investigation, with the Massachusetts Office of the Chief Medical Examiner expected to determine the official cause.

Forté rose to prominence in the mid-1990s after joining the Fugees’ creative circle, working closely with Lauryn Hill and Wyclef Jean. He cowrote and contributed to several tracks on the group’s 1996 album “The Score,” which became one of the bestselling hip-hop albums of all time and earned Forté a Grammy nomination early in his career.

Born in New York City, Forté studied classical violin as a child and later enrolled at New York University, where he focused on music before leaving to pursue music full-time. His career included work on Jean’s Grammy-nominated album “The Carnival” and a series of solo releases, including “Poly Sci,” “I, John,” and “Vessels, Angels & Ancestors,” which was released in 2021.

His life also included periods of hardship and reinvention. After serving time in federal prison on drug-related charges, Forté returned to music following a sentence commutation in 2008.

Forté lived on Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts for more than a decade and was involved in the island’s music and arts community, collaborating with both local and visiting musicians. Locals said his death has affected residents across the island, which has experienced several notable deaths in recent weeks.

“It is such a small community—this death hits close to home,” Slavin told MV Times. “It’s the upside and the downside to living on such a small island.”

Following his death, a GoFundMe campaign titled “Honoring John Forte by Supporting His Family” was launched to assist his widow and children. The fundraiser describes Forté as “a vital, luminous soul who touched so many of our lives” and notes that his death was unexpected.

“John Forte was a dearest friend, an incredible musician and artist, and a vital, luminous soul who touched so many of our lives,” the description reads. “Yesterday, we lost John unexpectedly, and his absence has left a profound void in our community and in the hearts of everyone who knew and loved him.”

“John’s two children, who are truly magical and full of his powerful spirit, now face a future without their father’s love, guidance, and support. Alongside their mother, Lara, who is navigating this unimaginable loss while caring for them, they will need both time and stability to begin healing,” it continued.

Forté is survived by his wife Lara and their two children.