Greatest Rappers | Top Hip Hop Artists That Died

Tupac Shakur

Genre: Hip hop music, Political hip hop & Gangsta rap; Nationality: United States of America

Albums: All Eyez on Me, Me Against the World, The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory, Still I Rise, Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z..., and more

Tupac Shakur died on September 13, 1996, after being shot in Las Vegas. He was 25 years old.

The Notorious B.I.G.

Genre: Hip hop music, Hardcore hip hop & East Coast hip hop; Nationality: United States of America

Albums: Ready to Die, Life After Death, Born Again, Duets: The Final Chapter, Greatest Hits, + more

The Notorious B.I.G. died on March 9, 1997, after being shot in a drive-by shooting in Los Angeles. Many believe that his death was a retaliation for Tupac's death in their ongoing East Coast/West Coast rivalry. 

Eazy-E

Genre: Hip hop music, Old-school hip hop & Gangsta rap; Nationality: United States of America

Albums: Eazy-Duz-It, It’s On (Dr. Dre) 187um Killa, Eternal E, Str8 off tha Streetz of Muthaphukkin’ Compton, 5150: Home 4 tha Sick, + more

In 1995, NWA rapper Eazy-E was diagnosed with AIDS when he went to the hospital to treat what he thought was asthma. He died from complications from AIDS less than a month later.

Nate Dogg

Genre: Hip hop music, Pop music & Neo-soul; Nationality: United States of America

Albums: Music & Me, Welcome To The Dogg House, G-Funk Classics, Vol. 1 & 2, Nate Dogg, + more

Nate Dogg died March 15, 2011, due to complications with multiple strokes. He was 41 years old.

Big L

Albums: The Big Picture, Lifestylez ov da Poor & Dangerous, Children of the Corn: The Collector's Edition, The Archives 1996–2000, Harlem's Finest – A Freestyle History, + more

On February 15, 1999, Big L was killed in his native Harlem after being shot nine times in the face and chest in a drive-by shooting. 

Big Pun

Genre: Hip hop music, Hardcore hip hop & East Coast hip hop; Nationality: United States of America

Albums: Capital Punishment, Yeeeah Baby, Endangered Species, The Legacy: The Best of Big Pun, It's So Hard, + more

Big Pun died on February 7, 2000, after suffering a fatal heart attack in New York. He struggled with maintaining a healthy weight for much of his life.

Ol' Dirty Bastard

Genre: Hip hop music, Rap music & Hardcore hip hop; Nationality: United States of America

Albums: Return to the 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version, The Trials and Tribulations of Russell Jones, Ghetto Supastar (That Is What You Are), A Son Unique, Nigga Please, + more

Ol' Dirty Bastard died on November 13, 2004, from a drug overdose at the age of 35.

Proof

Genre: Hip hop music and Midwest hip hop; Nationality: United States of America

Albums: Searching for Jerry Garcia, Grown Man Shit, I Miss the Hip Hop Shop, Time A Tell

Proof was shot and killed in Detroit on April 11, 2006. He was 32 years old.

Aaliyah

Genre: Hip hop music, Pop music & Neo-soul; Nationality: United States of America

Albums: Aaliyah, One in a Million, I Care 4 U, Age Ain't Nothing but a Number, Back & Forth, + more

On August 25, 2001, Aaliyah and eight others were killed when her airplane crashed shortly after takeoff. She was 22 years old. 

XXXTentacion

XXXTentacion was tragically shot and killed while sitting in a car in Florida on June 18, 2018. 

Lisa Lopes

Genre: Hip hop music, Pop music & Rap music; Nationality: United States of America

Albums: Supernova, Eye Legacy, N.I.N.A, The Block Party, Forever... The EP

Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes was involved in a fatal car accident in Honduras on April 25, 2002. A documentary, entitled The Last Days of Left Eye, was made in commemoration.

Nipsey Hussle

Genre: Hip hop music, Gangsta rap & G-funk; Nationality: United States of America

Albums: The Marathon Continues, The Marathon, You Broke, Crenshaw, All Get Right, + more

Guru

Genre: Hip hop music, Jazz rap & Jazz; Nationality: United States of America

Albums: Jazzmatazz, Volume 1, Guru's Jazzmatazz, Vol. 4: The Hip Hop Jazz Messenger: Back to the Future, Baldhead Slick and Da Click, + more

Guru died on April 19, 2010, after falling into a coma after having surgery due to cardiac arrest.

Prodigy

Genre: Hip hop music, Hardcore hip hop & East Coast hip hop; Nationality: United States of America

Albums: H.N.I.C., Return of the Mac, H.N.I.C. Pt. 2, Albert Einstein, Product of the '80s, + more

Prodigy died June 20, 2017, in Las Vegas N.V. at the age of 42 ... he died from a lifelong Battle with Sickle-Cell Anaemia Disease, the average life expectancy ranges from 40 to 60 for people who suffer from this disease.

Phife Dawg

Genre: Hip hop music and East Coast hip hop; Nationality: United States of America

Albums: Ventilation: Da LP, Flawless

On March 22, 2016, Phife Dawg died from complications relating to diabetes at age 45. 

Mac Dre

Genre: Hip hop music, Gangsta rap & G-funk; Nationality: United States of America

Albums: The Genie of the Lamp, Don't Hate The Player, Hate The Game, Pill Clinton, It's Not What You Say... It's How You Say It, + more

On November 1, 2004, Mac Dre died in a drive-by shooting.

Heavy D

Genre: Hip hop music, Contemporary R&B & New jack swing; Nationality: United States of America

Albums: Vibes, Waterbed Hev, Heavy, We Got Our Own Thang, This Is Your Night, + more

Heavy D died on November 8, 2011, after experiencing a pulmonary embolism. He was 44 years old.

Jam Master Jay

Genre: Hip hop music, East Coast hip hop & Gangsta rap; Nationality: United States of America

Jason Mizell, aka, Jam Master Jay, was shot and killed on October 30, 2002. His murder remains unsolved.

Capital STEEZ

Albums: King Steelo

On December 23, 2012, Capital STEEZ committed suicide by jumping off the rooftop of Cinematic Music Group headquarters in New York. 

J Dilla

Genre: Hip hop music, Alternative hip hop & Neo-soul; Nationality: United States of America

Albums: Donuts, The Shining, Jay Stay Paid, Ruff Draft, Welcome 2 Detroit, + more

J Dilla died as the result of a blood disease on February 10, 2006.

Soulja Slim

Genre: Hip hop music, Horrorcore & Hardcore hip hop; Nationality: United States of America

Albums: The Streets Made Me, Years Later... A Few Months After, Years Later, Greatest Hitz, Give It 2 'Em Raw

Soulja Slim died on November 26, 2003, after being shot four times in New Orleans. He was 26 years old.

Pimp C

Genre: Hip hop music, Horrorcore & Gangsta rap; Nationality: United States of America

Albums: The Naked Soul of Sweet Jones, Pimpalation, The Sweet James Jones Stories, Greatest Hits, What Up, + more

On December 4, 2007, Pimp C was found dead in his West Hollywood hotel room due to "purple drank" overdose.

Lil Snupe

Lil Snupe died after being shot in the chest on June 20, 2013.

Sean Price

Albums: Monkey Barz, Jesus Price Supastar, Hood Anthems, Mic Tyson, Donkey Sean Jr. (Mixed by P.F. Cuttin), + more

On August 8, 2015, Sean Price died in his sleep at age 43 due to unknown reasons. 

Adam Yauch

Genre: Hip hop music, Alternative hip hop & Rap rock; Nationality: United States of America

Albums: Drum Machine

Adam Yauch, aka, MCA of the Beastie Boys, died on May 4, 2012, after a three year battle with cancer. He was 47 years old.

DJ Screw

Genre: Hip hop music, Political hip hop & Gangsta rap; Nationality: United States of America

Albums: Fallen Soldiers, 3 'n the Mornin': Part Two, Royalty of Rap, The Legend, All Screwed Up, + more

On November 16, 2000, DJ Screw died from a codeine overdose inside his Houston recording studio. 

Chris Kelly

Chris Kelly died from a drug overdose on May 1, 2013. He had cocaine, heroin, and other drugs in his system at the time of his death.

Eyedea

Genre: Hip hop music and Experimental hip hop; Nationality: United States of America

Albums: The Many Faces of Oliver Hart (Or How Eye One the Write Too Think), Afraid to Dream

On October 16, 2010, Eyedea died in his sleep from an accidental drug overdose. 

Joe C.

Genre: Hip hop music, Rap rock & Rap metal; Nationality: United States of America

Kid Rock associate Joe C. died in his sleep on November 16, 2000. He suffered from a coeliac disease which may have caused his dwarfism, which in turn caused a variety of additional medical conditions.

Stretch

On November 30, 1995, Stretch died in a drive-by shooting on his way to see The Notorious B.I.G. 

E Dubble

Albums: His Hop Is Good, Two Tone Rebel, & Freestyle Fridays

E Dubble Died Feb 13, 2017, at age 34, he had an infection that started in his hand and eventually spread throughout his entire body leading up to his death.

Chinx

On May 17, 2015, Chinx was shot dead in a drive-by shooting. 

Young Greatness

Albums: Rich & Famous, Tried To Tell Em, Dollar For Hate

Freaky Tah

Genre: Hip hop music and Rap music; Nationality: United States of America

Freaky Tah died on March 28, 1999. He was shot in the back of the head.

Big Moe

Genre: Neo-soul, G-funk & Contemporary R&B; Nationality: United States of America

Albums: The Best of Big Moe, City of Syrup, Purple World, Moe Life, Moe Life (Chopped & Skrewed), + more

Big Moe died on October 14, 2007, after suffering a heart attack that left him in a week-long coma.

Dolla

Albums: Who the Fuck Is That?

Dolla was shot to death on May 18, 2009, at the age of 21.

Magnolia Shorty

Albums: Monkey on tha D$ck

Magnolia Shorty died on December 20, 2010, after being shot over 25 times in a drive-by shooting.

Camoflauge

Genre: Hip hop music; Nationality: United States of America

Albums: Strictly 4 da Streets: Drugs Sex and Violence, Vol. 1, Keepin It Real, I Represent

On May 19, 2003, Camoflauge died after being gunned down. He was only 21 years old.

Lil Phat

Albums: Turn the Beat Up, What's Happenin'

On June 7, 2012, Lil Phat died after being shot multiple times outside of a hospital where his son was about to be born.

Big Bank Hank

The Sugarhill Gang rapper Big Bank Hank died on November 11, 2014, from kidney complications due to cancer.

MC Trouble

Genre: Hip hop music and Rhythm and blues; Nationality: United States of America

Albums: Gotta Get a Grip

MC Trouble suffered from epilepsy since birth. On June 4, 1992, she died after experiencing heart failure induced by a seizure.

DJ Rashad

Albums: Double Cup, Teklife, Volume 1: Welcome to the Chi, Just a Taste, Itz Not Rite, + more

DJ Rashad died on April 26, 2014, of a drug overdose. He was 34 years old.

Camu Tao

Genre: Hip hop music; Nationality: United States of America

Albums: Blair Cosby: Cape Cod - Going for De Gold, Blair Cosby's: Cereal Carpens ('97 Season), Blair Cosby II: The Wali Era, King of Hearts

Camu Tao died from lung cancer on May 25, 2008.