Fresh Kid Ice, a founding member of pioneering rap group 2 Live Crew, has passed away in Miami, as per TMZ. According to the group's management, he died Thursday morning while in hospital; reports indicate it was due to a medical condition.
Fresh Kid, whose real name was Chris Wong Won, was also a trailblazer for Asian rappers and helped to form the legendary crew with DJ Mr. Mixx and Amazing Vee back in 1984. Eventually, Luther Campbell signed them to his record label. They became immersed in conversations for First Amendment Rights after the release of the group's As Nasty As They Wanna Be album was labeled legally obscene by the United States government.
Campbell tweeted his condolences earlier today:
RIP to Fresh Kid Ice.