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British Rapper Sway Dasafo Dead at 44 – Report

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Sway Dasafo

British rapper Derek “Sway” Dasafo has died at the age of 44.

Contents
Read MOBO Awards Tribute to Sway DasafoJohn FortéDJ Michael “5000” WattsLil PoppaBob PowerLord SearBlondyAfrika BambaataaCleetis “Clee” MackRob BaseTay KeithAlley BoyBigga RankinBloodHound Q50 Obit

According to a report in U.K.’s The Guardian, published on Thursday (Sept. 17), Sway Dasafo passed away at his home in Ghana, Africa. The cause of death has not been disclosed. The news of his death was announced by the MOBO Awards on the organization’s Instagram account. Sway made history as the first unsigned artist to ever win the Best Hip-Hop Act honor at the 2005 MOBO Awards, beating out hip-hop heavyweights 50 Cent and The Game.

“Sway will always hold a special place in MOBO history,” the statement read in part. “At a time when British rappers were still fighting to be recognised alongside their US counterparts, his win made a real statement about the talent, creativity and potential coming out of the UK.”

“Sway went on to leave his mark as an artist and champion of British music, but we will always be proud that he was part of the MOBO story and of the history we shared together,” it continued. “Our love and deepest condolences go out to his family, loved ones, friends and everyone who grew up with and was inspired by his music.”

Born in Hornsey, North London, to Ghanaian parents, Sway developed his talents as a rapper and producer as a member of the rap collective Phynix Crew and One, before branching out as a soloist with a series of mixtapes. He had a minor hit with his breakout single, “Up Your Speed,” featuring Pyrelli, in 2005. But his next single, “Little Derek,” a tune inspired by the hurdles he faced as a British rapper, cracked the U.K.’s Top 40 chart in 2006. That same year, he dropped his debut studio album This Is My Demo, which garnered him critical praise.

Outside of music, Sway was also known for his mentorship. He discovered and nurtured a young, unsigned Ed Sheeran during the early stages of his career. He also mentored British artists such as Mr. Hudson, Tiggs Da Author, Riz Ahmed, Tinchy Stryder, Kaiser Chiefs and YouTuber-turned-rapper KSI.

“You believed in me when many didn’t. You gave me a chance when many didn’t,” wrote KSI in his heartfelt tribute to Sway on IG. “Musically, people laughed me off as a joke but you saw my potential and helped me grow as an artist.”

“You were one of a kind man,” he concluded.

Sway Dasafo is survived by his wife Helen and his four children: Jalil, AJ, Inaya, and Imara.

Read MOBO Awards Tribute to Sway Dasafo

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by MOBO Awards (@moboawards)

John Forté

Birthdate: January 30, 1975
Died: January 12, 2026
Cause of Death: Complications from influenza A compounded by a seizure disorder
John Forté was found dead at his home in Chilmark, Mass., at age 50 on January 12, 2026. Initial reports said there were no signs of foul play and no immediately apparent cause of death while authorities investigated.
Forté was a Grammy-nominated rapper and producer best known for his work with the Fugees and the Refugee Camp All-Stars. He helped write and produce material on the Fugees’ landmark 1996 album The Score and also contributed to Wyclef Jean’s debut album, The Carnival.
Wyclef’s hit “We Trying to Stay Alive (Remix)” featuring Forté and Pras became one of the album’s breakout singles, peaking at No. 45 on the Billboard Hot 100, No. 3 on Hot Rap Songs and reaching the Top 15 in the U.K. The appearance helped transform him from a behind-the-scenes affiliate into a rising star.
He later released solo projects including Poly Sci and I John.

DJ Michael “5000” Watts

Birthdate: June 7, 1973
Died: January 30, 2026
Cause of Death: Cardiac arrest
Michael “5000” Watts died on January 30, 2026, at age 52 after being hospitalized for nearly a week with serious health complications. His family said he passed away surrounded by loved ones and later confirmed that sudden cardiac death caused by Torsades de Pointes, a severe heart rhythm disorder, led to his death.
Watts was one of the defining figures in Houston hip-hop and a pioneering DJ and producer. He cofounded Swishahouse with OG Ron C in 1997, and became known for his Swishahouse Mixes. Watts also helped popularize the chopped-and-screwed sound created by the late DJ Screw. He was instrumental in launching and elevating the careers of Slim Thug, Paul Wall, Chamillionaire and Mike Jones.

Lil Poppa

Birthdate: March 18, 2000
Died: February 18, 2026
Cause of Death: Suicide
Lil Poppa died at age 25 on February 18, 2026, in Fulton County, Georgia. Authorities later determined he died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound following a car crash.
Born Janarious Wheeler in Jacksonville, Fla., Poppa built a following through emotional, melodic street rap. He broke through with tracks like “Purple Hearts” on his 2018 debut project Under Investigation, and later became known for songs including “Love & War” and “Mind Over Matter.”
Upon signing with Interscope Records in 2019, he dropped his label debut Under Investigation 2, and continued to drop efforts including 2021’s Blessed, I Guess, before later joining Yo Gotti’s CMG.in 2022.

Bob Power

Birthdate: April 5, 1952
Died: March 1, 2026
Cause of Death: Unknown
Renowned producer and engineer Bob Power died at age 73, with news of his passing announced in early March of 2026. A cause of death has not been revealed.
Power became closely associated with the Native Tongues era and helped define the sound of landmark albums including A Tribe Called Quest’s The Low End Theory and De La Soul’s De La Soul is Dead in 1991, D’Angelo’s Brown Sugar in 1995 and Erykah Badu’s Baduizm in 1997. He earned several Grammy nominations throughout his career, and contributed to dozens of gold and platinum records. He later became a professor at New York University’s Clive Davis Institute.

Lord Sear

Birthdate: 1973
Died: March 11, 2026
Cause of Death: Unknown
Radio personality and DJ Lord Sear died at age 52 on March 11, 2026. The news was announced through Shade 45 and his official channels. An official cause was not cited.
Sear was a longtime DJ and personality best known for his decades-long run on Eminem’s Shade 45 SiriusXM station, where he hosted The Lord Sear Special. Before Shade 45, he built his reputation in New York’s underground scene as a touring DJ for Kurious and became part of the legendary Stretch Armstrong and Bobbito radio era.

Blondy

Birthdate: October 20, 1959
Died: April 6, 2026
Cause of Death: Brief illness
Rapper Blondy died in Atlanta on April 6, 2026 at age 66. Her family confirmed she had been dealing with a brief illness.
Gwendolyn “Blondy” Chisolm was a founding member of The Sequence, one of the first all-female hip-hop groups and among the earliest acts signed to Sugar Hill Records. The group broke through in 1979, with “Funk You Up,” a track that was later heavily sampled in years to come by the likes of Dr. Dre ( “Keep Their Heads Ringin'”), Boogie Down Productions (“Jimmy”), Beastie Boys (“33% God”), Chris Brown (“Picture Me Rollin”) and many more.

Afrika Bambaataa

Birthdate: April 17, 1957
Died: April 9, 2026
Cause of Death: Complications from prostate cancer
Lance Taylor, better known as Afrika Bambaataa, died on April 9, 2026 at age 68 in Pennsylvania after battling prostate cancer.
Bambaataa was a pioneering DJ and rapper from the Bronx who helped shape early hip-hop in the 1970s. He founded the Universal Zulu Nation, and is widely regarded as one of the foundational architects of hip-hop culture, especially in breakbeat DJing and early electronic fusion. His success was fueled by hit singles in the early 1980s including “Planet Rock,” “Looking for the Perfect Beat” and “Renegades of Funk,” which were later compiled on 1986’s Planet Rock: The Album and helped define the early sound of hip-hop’s electronic era.
However, his contributions were largely overshadowed by multiple allegations of child sexual abuse dating as far back as the 1970s. While he was never brought on criminal charges, he was sued in civil court for child sexual abuse and trafficking. The alleged victim was granted a default judgment “without opposition” after Bambaataa never entered a legal response and failed to appear when the case was heard before the New York State Supreme Court.

Cleetis “Clee” Mack

Birthdate: Unknown
Died: April 28, 2026
Cause of Death: Unknown
Cleetis “Clee” Mack’s passing was announced by Digital Underground representatives, who said he “passed suddenly” on April 28, 2026.
The rapper was a longtime member of Digital Underground, joining the Oakland collective in 1993 during its later evolution. He contributed to projects including The Body-Hat Syndrome, Future Rhythm and Who Got the Gravy?. His debut single, “Wussup Wit the Luv” featured 2Pac, and he also appeared on The Conscious Daughters’ Gamers, collaborated with Numskull as Drank-A-Lot on Good Laaawd That’s a Lot of Drank and made multiple appearances on Money-B’s Talkin’ Dirty in the late 90s.

Rob Base

Birthdate: May 16, 1967
Died: May 22, 2026
Cause of Death: Cancer
Rob Base died on May 22, 2026 at age 59 after a private battle with cancer. His death was confirmed in a family statement shared on social media. The rapper was reported to have passed peacefully, surrounded by loved ones.
The veteran MC rose to prominence as one-half of the duo Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock, helping push hip-hop into the mainstream with their 1988 classic “It Takes Two.” His career is largely defined by his 1988 album with E-Z Rock of the same name, its 1994 follow-up Break of Dawn and his solo album, The Incredible Base, in 1989.

Tay Keith

Birthdate: September 20, 1996
Died: June 18, 2026
Cause of Death: Unknown
Producer Tay Keith was found dead in his Nashville, Tenn. home on June 18, 2026 after a welfare check by police. Officials confirmed there were no signs of foul play, and his cause of death remains under investigation pending autopsy results.
Tay was a Grammy-nominated producer from Memphis who helped define modern trap music with a string of global hits. He broke out with BlocBoy JB’s “Look Alive” featuring Drake and went on to produce major records like Travis Scott and Drake’s “Sicko Mode” and Drake’s “Nonstop.” He became one of the most in-demand producers of his generation, working with artists including Eminem, Lil Baby, Megan Thee Stallion, Sexyy Red and Future.

Alley Boy

Birthdate: March 3, 1981
Died: July 20, 2026
Cause of Death: Kidney Disease
Alley Boy, born Curt Freeman, died on July 20, 2026, after a long battle with kidney disease. He was 42 years old.
His daughter shared the somber news on her Instagram page, posting a series of images in tribute to her father. In one throwback picture, the Atlanta rapper is cradling her as a toddler, which she captioned, “My baby LayLay.” Another photo features her hand resting over his, along with the caption, “07-20-2026,” along with a broken heart emoji, confirming the loss of her dad.
Alley Boy had been candid about his battle with kidney disease. In his past interviews, the rap veteran attributed his medical issues to his prior excessive use of Codeine cough syrup, also known as lean. He started dialysis in 2023 and was going up to three times a week by 2024, while campaigning for a kidney transplant that sadly didn’t happen.
“I was put on dialysis a month ago…changed my whole life,” he wrote on Instagram at the time. “WHAT WAS MEANT TO DESTROY ME WOKE ME UP NOW I KNOW MY PURPOSE… TELL MY STORY #INEEDAKIDNEY #FOREVERSCARED.”
AB was an artist and co-founder of the Atlanta-based label Duct Tape Entertainment alongside Big Bank Black with distribution through Asylum Records. Alley made his debut with his mixtape Da Don in 2009 and delivered his first full-length studio album, The Gift of Discernment, in 2011.
Throughout his career, Alley Boy became a prominent figure in the Southern rap scene, collaborating with hip-hop heavyweights like Jeezy, Yo Gotti, Gucci Mane, Juicy J, Waka Flocka, Freddie Gibbs, Kevin Gates, and others.

Bigga Rankin

Birthdate: August 2, 1962
Died: July 20, 2026
Cause of Death: Unknown
Bigga Rankin, born Orlean “Billy” Plummer, passed away on July 20, 2026. He was 63.
His record label, Think It’s a Game Records (TIG), where he served as an A&R director, shared the sad news on their Instagram page. They remembered the record executive as a champion for hip-hop music and culture.
Widely regarded as a “Godfather of Southern Hip-Hop,” the Jacksonville, Fla., native spent three decades launching and promoting some of the biggest names in southern rap as a music promoter and DJ. His influential mixtape series (such as Strictly 4 Traps N Trunks) helped shape the trajectories of rappers like Rick Ross, Gucci Mane, T.I., Jeezy, Rich Homie Quan, Yo Gotti., Plies, and many others.
“I’m always helping people…my mama always told me to give without expecting nothing back,” he told News4JAX. “I feel like I was real because I’m always giving.”
Outside of music, Rankin was also known for his work in his Jacksonville community. Through the K.I.N.G. Foundation, he hosted the annual Back-to-School Community Day, an event popular among local children that his family has confirmed will continue posthumously.

BloodHound Q50 Obit

Birthdate: August 6, 2004
Died: Sept. 13, 2026
Cause of Death: Homicide
BloodHound Q50 was shot and killed in Chicago on Sept. 13, 2026. The 22-year-old Chicago native, born Mikquale Cooper, was gunned down while sitting in his car at a local gas station.
According to local news reports, Q50 was sitting in his car when six gunmen fired over 50 shots into his vehicle. Before the shooting, one of the alleged gunmen entered the gas station, seemingly spotting Q50 before exiting. Shortly after, shots could be heard.
Q50 was hit in the chest and shoulder. He was treated on the scene by Chicago Fire Department medics and was pronounced dead. The gunmen fled in multiple vehicles. Police have made no arrests in the case.
Bloodhound Q50 was an emerging rapper in the Chicago drill rap scene as a member of the Bloodhounds collective alongside his cousin Bloodhound Lil Jeff, who was murdered in 2024. During his career, the late rhymer worked with artists like VonOff1700 and EST Gee, and dropped mixtapes such as 2025’s Long Live My Brudda He Prolly Kilt Yo Brudda and 2026’s Get Back or Die Trying. Days before his tragic death, Q50 dropped the music video for “Too Stuck” on Sept. 9, 2026.
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