Longtime rapper and one-half of rap group Mobb Deep, Prodigy, has reportedly died. He was 42.
The cause of death of the Queens rapper, whose real name is Albert Johnson, is unclear.
A representative told Pitchfork.com on Tuesday: “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,” he added.
Rapper Nas—who grew up in the same Queensbridge Houses area—also posted a photo of Prodigy, captioning it: “QB RIP King P.”
Mobb Deep is best known for their dark anthem, “Shook Ones Part 2,” which was released in 1994. “The Infamous,” an album Mobb Deep released a year later, is considered by many to be a hip-hop classic.
