On Wednesday, July 26 in London, England, the world expressed shock when they learned of the passing of singer and musician Sinéad O'Connor. While her name was already etched into the history books for her talents and advocacy, her loss is an unfortunate end to an impactful but tragic life and career. Moreover, last year, she revealed that her 17-year-old son tragically lost his life, and expressed deep heartbreak at this rift in her life. Regardless of her musical leanings, her message and acts of protest and resistance inspired not just other genres, but other art forms. As such, various leaders of the rap community recently took to social media to mourn O'Connor's loss.
"Respect to Sinead….. She stood for something… Unlike most people…. Rest Easy," Ice-T expressed in a tweet. "Heartbreaking man," Questlove remarked on Instagram. "One of the nicest humans. Damn man. This is devastating." Under The Roots' drummer's post, Bun B also honored Sinead O'Connor with a brief but nonetheless resonant statement. "Warrior princess. RIP," the UGK MC commented. In addition, Chuck D took to Twitter to pay tribute to another voice of a generation. "Rest In Beats and PowEr Sinead O Connor who always Brought The Noise," he wrote.
Questlove Mourns Sinead O'Connor
Furthermore, the Irish icon's cause of death still hasn't been revealed by her family or authorities. "It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved Sinead O'Connor," her family stated to BBC News. "Her family and friends are devastated and have requested privacy at this very difficult time." O'Connor was diagnosed with a bipolarity disorder in 2003, and was open about mental health struggles throughout her life. Also, hip-hop has much reason to respect her, and she crossed over into the genre alongside MC Lyte in 1988 for the "I Want Your Hands On Me" remix.
More Rappers Pay Tribute
Meanwhile, that didn't stop her from speaking out against the powers that be, whether as a musician or as an individual. During her performance on "Saturday Night Live" in 1992 she controversially but powerfully ripped up a picture of the Pope in protest of the Catholic Church. She also condemned industry figures who she believed to be bad actors behind the scenes. For more news and updates on hip-hop figures reflecting on the wider musical world, stay logged into HNHH.
Rest In Peace Sinéad O'Connor.