Various news outlets are reporting that Minnesota rapper Eyedea has died at 28.
No details have emerged regarding his passing, beyond a Facebook confirmation from the emcee’s mother, asking for family privacy at this time. He would have turned 29 in less than a month.
Eyedea was well-known as a staple of Rhymesayers Entertainment, and as one half of the duo Eyedea & Abilities, with DJ Abilities. He also recorded albums under the name Oliver Hart and as part of the group Face Candy. Eyedea earned a reputation as one of the worlds premier freestylers. In 1999, at just 18, he won Scribble Jam. The following year he took home top honors at HBO’s Blaze Battle and at the Rocksteady Anniversary show. Afterwards, rumours circulated that Diddy was trying to sign the Minnesota native.
Speaking with HipHopDX’s Underground Report in February of 2008, Eyedea spoke on his creative pursuits in Hip Hop. “I think I was lucky in a lot of ways because I had people around me that were interested in putting out my music. I was ambitious. I was always into working hard, even when I was seven years old. So, I worked hard fast and I also loved music and art. So, the more you like something, the more you do it. The more you do it, the better you get at it. With the whole underground Hip Hop thing and the Internet…I don’t even know how to analyze the culture as far as how my voice actually got heard, [laughs] but, it did apparently.”
Last year, Eyedea released By The Throat with Rhymesayers. The video to the single “Smile” is posted below:
More on this story as it develops.
Editor’s Note: Initial reports on HipHopDX claimed Eyedea to be 29 years old. He was 28 at the time of his reported death.
Click here to read HipHopDX’s editorial “Between The Lines: Remembering Eyedea.”
no comments???? c’mon hip hop nation we just lost another great mc. Its sad that he never got the recognition he deserved too. Underrated as fuck. R.I.P. to eyedea
poor rapper.. Looks like it’s payday for whoever owns his publishing. Cha-ching..
if it was heroin.. Poor guy.
if it was suicide.. Poor guy.
poor guy.
It’s a tragedy that Micheal “Eyedea†Larsen passed away! Honor his memory by contributing to his memorial site http://michealeyedealarsen.people2remember.com/
It’s a tragedy that Micheal “Eyedea†Larsen passed away! Honor his memory by contributing to his memorial site michealeyedealarsen*people2remember*com
OMFG THIS CANT BE!
HE COMMITTED SUICIDE!!!!!!!!!!!!
He epitomized the underground at one point.
Pray2God it ain’t true
damn RIP eyedea
Damn, that’s some heavy shit. Respect. R.I.P.
Whoa.. I don’t know what to say.. R.I.P. Eyedea. One of the greats of the underground.
It was a heroin overdose, something he struggled with earlier in life and sadly it seems he returned to it recently. This according to folks in the know. I used to see Eyedea all the time because he lived by my school. Sad day for Minnesota hip hop.
It was a heroin overdose, something he struggled with earlier in life and sadly it seems he returned to it recently. This according to folks in the know. I used to see Eyedea all the time because he lived by my school. Sad day for Minnesota hip hop.
It was a heroin overdose, something he struggled with earlier in life and sadly it seems he returned to it recently. This according to folks in the know. Sad day for Minnesota hip hop.
He was 28, going to be 29 next month. CP had it wrong.
RIP Eyedea. Man had some great albums under his belt
Blaze Battle champion. Never forget. Eyedea, you will be sorely missed. R.I.P.
SUICIDE IF YALL LISTENED TO HIS ALBUMS U WOULD KNOW R.I.P
SUICIDE IF YALL WOULD HAVE LISTENED TO HIS ALBUMS YOU WOULD UNDERSTAND DAMM HOMIE R.I.P
It was not suicide, it was a Herion OD. he was an addict. a classmate of mine was a good friend of his
Oh yeah, Im pretty sure it had to do with drugs, man…
What the F&*^
Wow an artist I really cared about and related with 🙁 Really would like to know more details
Forever 29, Peace perfect Peace !
Keep on existing in our hearts, minds, and tape decks !
R.i.P Eyedea
Keep on existing in our hearts, minds, and tape decks !
R.I.P , Didnt like the guys music, tried it and eh, not for me, but I did enjoy that Blaze Battle that was on hbo back in the day, the one that had him, Shellz and Young Zee
he ate every1 in that battle
Damn. RIP.
He was 28. Going to be 29 in November. But ether way.. R.I.P Michael Larsen
The opportunistic rappers are already trying to get retweets of their condelences, posting shit that has little or nothing to do with Eyedea on message boards but ‘tells a story” about him…sick. Dudes were jealous of him/talked mad shit when he was alive and is now one of his besities in his death.
like always. fuckin ALWAYS we done seen this a thousand times yes we have folks
I dunno if yall remember but Blaze Magazine had put on a battle on HBO I think in da year 2000 and Eyedea won the whole shit.
God Bless ya Soul Man. Damn Life Is Short!
RIP, dude was amazing, he’ll be very missed, one of the greatest lyricist in the underground.
this is the most shocking news ive heard in forever. this dude was truely one of the best lyricists in MUSIC, PERIOD. such a shame.
Damn, rip. This guy was on point.
I’ll never forget talking to Eyedea at Soundset 2008….Man this is too much right now…..
dayum.. i met dude when i went to skribble jam (’04 or ’05) and dude was a super cool, down to earth type cat,, U was in the rhymesayers tent lookin at one of his cd’s and he came up like “yo, you like dude?” i said, yea, i check his show out everytime he comes to Milwaukee.. (i didnt reconize him) the he introduced himself, and we went in the parking lot to smoke some dro, and vibe out… RIP, a true hip-hop head is gone…
That is a memory that I wish I could share. I was and am very emotionally attached to Eyedea through his music, “The Dive” and “A Murder of Memories” hit close to home. RIP, whatever happens after death, I hope to see you Michael!
RIP to one of the best poets ever.
It’s always somethin goin on but check me out on youtube THE GUITAR PLAYER FOR THIS DAY AND AGE. MANY ARTISTS USING LIVE BANDS NOW SO CHECK ME OUT ON YOUTUBE BRYANTC1000. CAN PLAY ON ANY BEAT OR FOR ANY ARTIST.
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=bryantc1000&aq=f
DC MARYALND VIRGINIA ALL DAY!! I wanna be seen and heard by the right ppl ALL AROUND and get some work in,collab, tour ect.
Get @ me leaving.carter@gmail.com
When i say it’s always something i mean so much loss in this world god rest this mans soul. We lost a great person and his family and friends will be in my prayers
i still a shamless scumbag mothafucka. promote double back and read the article, and then leave a sensitive comment to cover up your assholery. u low bruh
ya man wtf was that how u gonna advertise on an article saying hes dead, fuck you.
god ur a douchebag
You’re grimey as hell. It’s bad enough you comment on every single post with your GARBAGE ass music, but you’ve crossed the line by posting your no talent music spam on a post of this nature.
You will never succeed in music because…
a) you have no talent
b) there is already a country singer/guitarist named Bryant Carter
c) you look like a starving version of method man with down syndrome and/or a basset hound with low self esteem
d) you don’t deserve it
R.I.P. Eyedea + prayers for his family.
Peace
-TVOR
You’re grimey as hell. It’s bad enough you comment on every single post with your GARBAGE ass music, but you’ve crossed the line by posting your no talent music spam on a post of this nature.
You will never succeed in music because…
a) you have no talent
b) there is already a country singer/guitarist named Bryant Carter
c) you look like a starving version of method man with down syndrome and/or a basset hound with low self esteem
d) you don’t deserve it
R.I.P. Eyedea + prayers for his family.
Peace
-TVOR
What?!!!
Fuck, oh my God.
Shit, I hope this is false – Eyedea was one of the best to ever bless the mic, I can’t believe this!
If this is true, RIP, my condolences to his mother, family and friends, Eyedea will always be remembered as one of the best emcees in the history of hip hop. I know I’m not only speaking for myself when I say that he will be greatly missed
“I believe there’s never a place better than right where you are, although imagining an afterlife can tend to mend a broken heart, and with someone dead it’s a way of coping with loss, but I don’t need you out there somewhere if I have you in my thoughts”
-Eyedea, Hay Fever, 2009.
When i say it’s always something i mean so much loss in this world god rest this mans soul. We lost a great person and his family and friends will be in my prayers…r.i.p
WHAT!?!?!?!?!?!!?!?!?1 WHAT THE HELL!!! NO, WHY. There gose one of my favorite lyricist. R.I.P eyedea R.I.P
sad…
Ruined my day. 🙁
this shit ruined my day. can’t believe this happened. i’m guessing suicide or some sort of drug OD (someone mentioned heroin OD earlier), no way he died naturally at 28 years young.
…. damn…. I hate it when young & talented persons die…
R.I.P.
taking time to process this horrible news. this is coming from a tiny town in the north east of england, eyedeas music touched us all the way over here and im sure it will continue to do so allover the globe. my thoughts are with his friends and family. i see how upsetting this is to his fans i can only imagine the effects this news is having on them. music took a big loss today. but im sure his music has went on to inspire some other mc’s to step up and fill the gap. im gonna go listen to “smile” again.
Also from north east of England and hurt by this news, he will be missed alot!
we lost another good one damn it ! damn shame rip
It’s a tragedy that Micheal “Eyedea†Larsen passed away! Honor his memory by contributing to his memorial wall michealeyedealarsen*people2remember
“So I asked 30 questions and I still wasn’t sure
but being me I gave those pricks a few good words
Frustrated with it all
I turned my back to the angels and when I walked away to my surprise
I found myself in heaven
(Ya know I’m saying
Kinda just turned around from the whole situation
Rejecting everything that was going on
Thats how I walked into heaven)
I Walked away, walked away, walked straight into heaven…
I Walked away, walked away, walked straight into heaven…”
-Eyedea (Oliver Hart)
Damn, this guy was fucking sick. Hopefully it’s another one of those hoax’s but if not R.I.P man.
Well, this sucks.
Go look up those scribble jam battles there classic shit all of em too bad they don’t have it nomore
RIP Eye-Dea
BTW was he featured on eminems infinte “It’s OK” i dont think so but…
Nah, that was someone named Eye Kyu. And he was black lol
this is coming from sydney, australia…
dude was amazing, shame guys like him don’t ever get the success and exposure they deserve.
r.i.p. we’ve lost another poet.
That sucks! Love the Rhymesayers…they are huge here!~
Rhyme in Paradise Eyedea, greatest lyricist to ever live!
“One day we’ll be holding hands instead of M-16s, until then every human being is controlled by the fight.”
I’ve never heard of this dude, RIP to him anyway.
Hear about him. He’s pretty great.
RIP, never got into dudes music, but i wont forget on that Blaze Battle, when the dude he was battlin’ was tryin to clown and uprocking behind Eyedea, and Eyedea said somethin’ like, “Eyedea, the rhyme enhancer. The dude behind me wants to be my back up dancer.” He shut that shit down.
i know EXACTLY what your talkin about. he made that dude look like a fool.
wow eyedea dead? Hope not. IF so, let me be the first african to say RIP. So so Sad. 2010 is claimin too many legends. RIP broda. U made ur mark
So Much Sorrow Felt :.(
RIP
Mann this guy was insane on the battles… search shells vs eyedea battle… classic shit right there!!!
One of the nicest freestylers out there. RIP. If you didn’t know about him, check him out on the Wake Up Show.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40MA0pl7Oa0
RIP..
top five emcee, no doubt . rap in paradise r.i.p
man i cant believe it!!! one of my favorits mc’s. every body remembers his freestyles and battles and all but i liked him better with his written shit. oliver hart is pure genius and the e&a albumes are sick all 3 of em. rest in peace eyedea and keep on rappin in haeven. to bad he never came to israel
tal
israel
I’m so sad to hear this horrible news. Eyedea was one of my favorite artist and he will be missed all around the world. 🙁 My thoughts and love go out to his family and friends at this time.