The Hip Hop community has suffered another monumental loss. According to legendary New York City promotor Van Silk, former Bad Boy Records artist Black Rob passed away on Saturday (April 17). DJ Self confirmed his death via Instagram and noted he’d died in an Atlanta hospital.
The “Whoa!” rapper suffered a series of strokes beginning in 2015 and was hospitalized earlier this month but no official cause of death has been revealed.
“We’ve lost another member of our Hip Hop family,” Van Silk tells HipHopDX. “Many may have been unaware that Black Rob has been sick over the years until Mark Curry posted the video from the hospital. My memory of Black Rob was when he use to come by DJ Kay Slay’s studio to do the mixtapes. He was a someone who you would just wanna hang around with. May my brother Rest In Heaven.”
The death feels particularly crushing considering DMX passed away just eight days ago and found Black Rob offering his condolences from a hospital bed, causing concern among his fans. And rightfully so.
Fellow Bad Boy Records rapper Mark Curry had been updating people on his condition, revealing he’d been released from the hospital last week.
“It’s overwhelming to how many people care about our legends but he just got discharged from the hospital,” he said via Instagram. “This is something that Rob’s been going through so I don’t know who put it out there like whatever it may be. He’s good but we gon’ talk later on today.”
Pioneering Rap Group Whodini Loses Member Ecstasy — Here's How Their Music Will Live Forever
In another Instagram video, Black Rob talked about what he was going through, explaining, “Oh man, I’ve been dealing with this for five years,” he says. “Four strokes … I don’t know what to tell you man. Shit is crazy. This shit is hard. I don’t got no house to live in — except maybe an apartment. Me and my man be trying to get together. I’m telling you man, this shit is strange.
“It’s hard, you know what I’m saying? I don’t know what the people want to do, what the people going to say. I need some rest, man. Really, man. I need some rest. My side is killing me. Oh shit. I don’t want to talk about it no more. ”
In a follow-up Instagram video posted on Wednesday (April 14), Mark Curry said Bad Boy Records founder Diddy had reached out to Black Rob — despite people assuming he was leaving Black Rob to struggle.
“Puffy, we need your help and you are reaching out,” Curry said at the time. “You’re trying to help. We’re not trying to say he’s not. He’s really trying to help.”
Unsurprisingly, tributes are pouring in on social media. Check out some of the reactions below. HipHopDX sends our condolences to Black Rob’s family and all those who loved him.
fuck diddy
Diddy wrong
Diddy could’ve done much more to help him out much like Craig Mack but nope he decided to only act like he was once the media backlashing started coming in on how bad he was treating Black Rob (yet another tragic Bad Boy Artist in need) Diddy robbed everyone of their masters, royalties, and publishing. And instead of showing that he was still a legit human and help teach and mold the talent on his label, he exploits them and dumps them to the wayside leaving them for the vultures to finish off. Diddy already knows he’s got a spot reserved in hell just for him.
Rip robbie o aka black rob
Bad year for Hip Hop music. RIP Rob.
Damn, this shit crazy
RIP, one of my favs
You were nice-nice. RIP.
DOOM, DMX, and Black Rob are all gone. Wow!
Very sad news. Heard this I was like whoa. I cram to understand these days and times. RIP Black Rob. Another talented brother Puff helped to shine regardless what happened behind the scenes
Very sad news. With all the money he must have made when he was at Bad Boy, how did he end as a homeless person?? Obviously some people got a fat check and left him some crumbs in the plate SMH! RIP Black Rob.
Diddy own everything…All the rights…ask Biggie’s Momma. Diddy still uses the Berry Gordy approach and gives people allowance and keeps their masters and royalties. Once their done with their album or ghostwriting for him, he literally throws them away for someone else who can bring him more money and the cycle continues. F*** Diddy.
Diddy only cares about poking dudes, making money, and hiding his gayness by paying women to serve as his girlfriend so he looks straight.
he is catholic.
Well that explains why he’s a pokemon master and why he’s always trying to catch a ball in his meowth.
My heart is broken right. Now man I can’t believe it not my man black rob we just lost dmx last week now black rob I’ve been a fan of him from day one he was one of the illist mcs bad boy ever had had the illist flow and he stole the show on classic joints posse cuts like 24 hours to live my fav joints from him was ready with scram Jones life story any questions with benzino jasmine with Carl Thomas list goes on and on he had classic joints for centuries it’s such a shame artists like black rob don’t get recognized till they die puff daddy was. A foul cat he screwed all his Artists on bad boy rest in power my brotha black rob maybe gone but won’t be forgotten I’m always gonnna rep you and keep your legacy going my dude word up
How TF is DIddy still alive and everyone else is dying is beyond me. If you would’ve asked me in 96′ if I see him surviving this long I would have told you, Hell Naw.
Like Whoa…
They made it sound like his hospital stay was a routine thing for him, so I didn’t know he was close to death when they said he had been released. I just saw the news on Facebook and swore out loud. And I wasn’t even a big fan like a lot of commenters, but “star in the hood” was in heavy rotation in winter of ’05. Well that sucks, RIP to him, and how do so many Bad Boy artists end up like this? Is diddy screwing them on royalties worse than other labels, or is it just the fact that so many of them were one album wonders 20 years ago?
Sodomizing and Killing Men for over 25 years and his kill count still is going up.
RIP Black Rob. Fuck Diddy
well sean reached out what did he do exactly.
He actually got Rob a hotel room for a couple of weeks.
Gone but not forgotten
sean combs is a penis. that is all
Peace out to my boy B.R. You was thatW.H.O.A. Condolences to the family & those who loved him
whoa!
ya man ain’t whoa, the judge ain’t whoa, play with me get the g. I. Joe!
Fuck off, F*****
The Black Rob Report, one of the most slept albums in history. RIP brother
I don’t think nobody knew how ??? that joint was because so much was happening at the time it dropped. BANGER???
THE BLACK ROB REPORT WAS 4.5 MICS TO ME
Add peanut butter to a cup of potatoes then eat the corn on the cob leftovers from pollo loco after you finish your ice cream bar you ordered from the store that has tapatio and sriracha sauce that’s made in Vietnam because it’s a beautiful experience once you perform in front of many.
What are you, fuckin 12 year old or what. Show respect and keep that meaningless none sense off this article you half a brain peon
i think there is a troll or two here.
I hated that Whoa song and slept on him at first. I picked up his album after that and saw dude had some skills.
RIP Rob.
Rip Black Rob! Dude was real hard rap artist. “Life story” goes hard af son! Gonna slap That repeat this week
Very underrated album. Life Story is solid from beginning to end. RIP, Rob
That’s Woah!
WHOA!….RIP BR…damn…Bad Boy Curse continues….
I dare you – I love that song. I love you baby – I love that song too. RiP Black Rob. Stay healthy people. Take care of yourself before it is too late. Cheers.
We all know that Puffy diddled this man booty hole.. prolly tossed his salad and all that too. This man was traumatized for life after a contract with Bad Boy Records. Pay close attention, French Montana and MGK, this is how you too will end up as well in the future. I’m actually quite happy that’s how it’s going to be.. i can’t wait to see this happen to all you talentless pha6ots.
R.I.P
I remember when I was a teenager and I’d just started getting into hip hop, I bought Life Story after seeing it got 4.5 mics in The Source. Great album at the time and is even more impressive now given how mediocre the genre has become. Really nice flow and cadence and great story telling skill. RIP.
RIP to Black Rob, but let’s stop looking for answers and placing blame beyond where it really lies. BR’s story should be a warning about taking care of your health before it’s too late (DMX as well) and managing your money responsibly when it’s coming in. Not taking anything away from the man, but he lived an unhealthy lifestyle for years and spent his money recklessly when he had it. This is what caused his situation. Trying to blame the one man who put him on and gave him a shot is avoiding reality. I’m not condemning Black Rob—I feel bad for him—but it’s not Didfy’s fault either.
RIP. Homie. Real G’s in peace.
??GRAB SOME OXXYCODONE,
?XANNAX BARS, PERCS?
?HYDROz, MDMA,?
?WOCKHARDT/HITECH
?AKRON/TRIS N MORE?
( 719-357-6345)Snapchat@rikakantana
??LINK??: abcmedstore.net ??
R.I.P to the 2nd best MC on Bad Boy. Life Story is an underrated classic. One of my first hip hop albums I bought coming up.