Photo: Linda Rosier/NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images
Robert Ross, the “Whoa!” rapper known professionally as Black Rob, has died. He was 52.
On Saturday, Curry shared video updates, as heaccompanied Rossto the hospital. “Rest in peace to my brother. I was there with him. I was there with him,” he said in one video.
Ross had been on dialysis for five years, according to Curry.
The former Bad Boy rapper had a history of kidney failure and diabetes, and he suffered several strokes in recent years,Deadlinereported.
“Puff, I ain’t talked to Puff in 15 years — we talked today,” Curry added in the video, referring to Sean “Puffy” Combs. “This is the beginning of a new us. Rob made sure he knew what he had to do before he parted this world to make sure we all alright, and that’s what he did. Bad boy for life, yo.”
Curry and producer Mike Zombie previously started aGoFundMeto help him with medical bills and housing. “We’ve lost a lot legends and we can’t afford to lose anymore,” they wrote. “This is my way to try and help.”
Combsshared a tribute on InstagramSunday, posting a throwback photo of himself and Ross. “Rest in power King @therealblackrob!” he wrote. “As I listen to your records today there’s one thing that they all have in common! You have made millions of people all over the world feel good and dance! You are one of a kind! GOD BLESS! Love. You will be truly missed!!!!”
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LL Cool Jpaid tributeto Ross on Twitter. “Black Rob. A story teller. An MC. A gentleman every time I saw him,” he wrote. “Rest in power my brother.”
Comedian Eddie Griffin alsoexpressed his condolencesin a tweet. “R.I.P #BlackRob #Whoaanother one taken too soon,” he wrote.
Ross revealed earlier this month that hewas hospitalized, appearing in avideoon DJ Self’s Instagram. “I don’t know, the pain is crazy, man,” he said in the video. “It’s helping me out though, it’s making me realize I got a lot to go.”
Ross also sent his love to DMX, whodied that day, a week after he suffered a heart attack. “I feel everything about X. X was positive. Love to X,” he said.
Linda Rosier/NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images
Ross was born in Buffalo, New York, and he grew up in East Harlem, where he began rapping as a kid. He began working with Combs' Bad Boy Records in 1996, collaborating with the likes of Notorious B.I.G., Faith Evans and Ol' Dirty Bastard. He went platinum with his 2000 debut albumLife Story, making it on theBillboardHot 100 at No. 43 with his hit single “Whoa!”.
source: people.com
