The Hip-Hop community is mourning the loss of yet another pioneer of the genre. According to reports, rapper Tame One, best known for his work in the hip-hop trio Artifacts and the rap supergroup the Weathermen, has passed away. He was 52 years old.
The Newark, New Jersey legend was best known for hits like the 2002 banger “Slick Talkin’” and 2005’s “O.G. Bobby Johnson Theme Song.” Fellow Newark native Rah Digg took to social media to grieve the loss of the late rapper.
“I usually don’t race to the internet to post news like this when I’m in the middle of feeling it…but we gonna give this Jersey legend his muthafuckin flowers!!” she wrote. Rah Digga’s longtime friend and collaborator Busta Rhymes commented under the somber post, “Woooow Nooo!! Rest Easy King TameOne!!” While rapper/producer Master Ace added, “Condolences to the entire Jersey family and friends of this brutha.” Tame’s Wethermen bandmate, El-P , tweeted several sad face emoji along with, “Rest in peace Tame One.”
Growing up Newark, Tame One fell in love with the art of graffiti as a high school. So much so that he was banned from his school after marking up the place with his art. In a 2010 interview, Tame shared, “It’s a mental release. I’ve been drawing all my life, so that just comes naturally. I’m keeping it as real as I possibly can with myself and with my music and I guess people relate. They don’t want the cookie cutter, every day on-the-radio shit.”
In the same interview, he opened up about his career success and how he’s managed to maintain longevity. “Because I’m not trying to portray something I’m not. I’m keeping it as real as I possibly can with myself and with my music and I guess people relate, they don’t want the cookie cutter, every day on the radio, shit. Everybody’s saying Hip-Hop is dead. Hip-Hop’s not dead, you just have to know where to look for it.”
Our thoughts and prayers are with Tame One’s family and friends at this time.
[Via]