Bossip Video
1 of 13

A Music Collaboration Unveiling Event

Source: Prince Williams / Getty

Celebrity Deaths Of 2019

UPDATED: 1:14 P.M. ET, September 3rd, 2020 —

Their work on film, television and even music brought people together. We laughed, cried and gasped at their achievements collectively and their impact on the world helped shaped humanity in some way. Celebrity deaths are always hard to report on.

The following notable Black celebrities are gone but never forgotten. Hit the flip.

Juice Wrld

Source: @JustInMyView / R1 Digital

Juice Wrld, 21 – Juice Wrld, also known as Jarad Anthony Higgins was born on December 2nd, 1998 and tragically passed away last year from a drug-related seizure at Midway International Airport. The rapper grew fame fast for his song “Lucid Dreams” and his hit single  “All Girls Are the Same.” Both tracks were featured on his 2018 debut album Goodbye and Good Riddance which hit certified platinum and charted on the Billboard Hot 100. Things were really looking up for the young rapper until his tragic passing.

Even after he departed, his posthumous album Legends Never Die went platinum, making it the second album for the artist to win big. Legends Never Die sold one million units within five weeks of its release according to HYPEBEAST.

9th Annual Memorial Weekend Comedy Festival

Source: Johnny Louis / Getty

John Witherspoon – The actor was known for his classic role as “Pops” on The Wayans Brothers and his iconic performances in the Friday franchise series. Witherspoon was a household name on black television sitcoms and movies. The actor died last year and sent everyone in the film industry into shock. Marlon Wayans and Ice Cube were among the many celebs that took to social media to pay their respect with heartfelt eulogies to their dearly departed co-star.

 

WASHINGTON, D.C. Toni Morrison poses for a portrait at the

Source: The Washington Post / Getty

Toni Morrison – Toni Morrison was an American novelist, an astonishing writer, and a college professor that changed the face of American literature and essay journalism as we know it. She was the first African American woman to win The Nobel Prize in literature and was best known for her stories discussing Black identity and the painful experiences that African American’s have endured in the U.S.

She’s best known for her critically acclaimed Beloved trilogy from 1987 to 1998. The book was later adapted into a film in 1999 which starred Oprah as the emotionally distraught Sethe.

Morrison was also known for her book The Bluest Eye, and The Song of Solomon. The author died at the age of 88 last year.

91st Annual Academy Awards - Arrivals

Source: Jeff Kravitz / Getty

John Singleton, 51 –John Daniel Singleton passed away last year from complications resulting from a stroke. He was an American director, producer, actor, and screenwriter. Singleton was praised for his writing and directing of Boyz N the Hood in 1991, which was a coming of age hood drama that starred Ice Cube, Nia Long,  Cuba Gooding Jr., and Morris Chestnut.

At the age of 24, Singleton was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Director. John was the first and youngest African American to ever have been nominated by the Academy.

Singleton was a native from the south side of Los Angeles. He often depicted the themes of cultural and societal issues that he grew up experiencing in his life, and to which urban populations all over the U.S. could resonate and connect with. From 1993 to 2001, John directed some of the most critically acclaimed films in Black American history including Poetic Justice (1993), Higher Learning (1995), and Baby Boy (2001).

DYNASTY

Source: ABC Photo Archives / Getty

Diahann Carroll – Diahann Carroll was a singer, actress, model, and activist. She was known for her work in some of the earliest major studio films to feature an African American cast. Carroll received a Tony Award for “best actress”,  which was a first for an African American woman, for her role in the Broadway musical No Strings in 1962. She was also praised for her roles in the 1954 classic Carmen Jones and Porgy and Bess (1959)

Diahann Carol was also one of the first African American actresses to take on a non-stereotypical role on television. She played the character of Dominique Deveraux on the prime time soap opera Dynasty.

Carroll passed away in October of last year after a long time battle with breast cancer.

Bushwick Bill

Source: Al Pereira / Getty

Bushwick Bill, 52 – Bushwick Bill, who was the founding member of the pioneering rap crew Geto Boys died in June of last year after a battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 52 years old at the time of his passing.

The rapper moved from his hometown in Kingston, Jamaica to Bushwick, Brooklyn as a child, but it wasn’t until he relocated to Houston that his passion for rapping began.

Bill’s larger than life persona and performative storytelling lent to his catchy lyricism and famous bars. The Geto Boys had classics like “F*** a War,”  “Mind Playing Tricks On Me” and “Mind of a Lunatic”. Their undeniable style also pioneered the sound of southern rap in the ’80s and ’90s.

Bill released six solo albums from 1992 to 2010 and, the team even reunited for what would be their last album together in 2005 called The Foundation.

Continue Slideshow

2019 Radio Disney Music Awards - Arrivals

Source: David Livingston / Getty

Cameron Boyce, 20 – Cameron Boyce passed away last year due to an on-going medical problem. The actor was best known for his roles on the Disney Channel franchise “Descendants” and the TV show “Jessie,” where he portrayed the lovable character, Luke Ross.

The actor was incredible both on-camera and behind the scenes too with his activism. Boyce was heavily involved with charity work. “The Descendants” star was honored with the Pioneering Spirit Award at last year’s Thirst Gala. Boyce reportedly raised $30,000 for the nonprofit to build clean drinking water wells in Swaziland.

Cameron made his acting debut at the tender age of 9 when he starred in the horror film “Mirrors.” Just two years later, he landed a role as one of Adam Sandler’s children in the film “Grown Ups.”

A Music Collaboration Unveiling Event

Source: Prince Williams / Getty

Nipsey Hussle, 33 – Rapper, activist, and entrepreneur Nipsey Hussle had accomplished so much during his short time on earth. At 20 years old, Hussle was already an essential name in the SoCal rap scene for nearly 15 years. He self-released his first mixtape in 2005 called Slauson Boy Volume 1. The mixtape embodied everything he dedicated his life too; hustle and ambition. His sound defined the iconic West Coast gangsta rap of the 1990s but with an element that was undeniably his own. In 2008, Hussle released two more mixtapes that would catch the attention of music executives and help him break into the industry.

By 2013 the rapper had amassed a large following. He decided to take his career into his own hands after splitting from Epic Records. Even back then, the rapper preached the importance of ownership in the industry and self-independence. It was during those years of Nipsey selling his mixtape for $100 dollars out of the back of his minivan that Jay-Z would find him, and buy 100 copies of his own. The rest was history.

In addition to receiving a Grammy nomination, the rapper held community outreach support programs for youth in LA, focusing on the importance of science and tech-centered learning. He opened his iconic Marathon clothing store in 2019 to promote commerce in his neighborhood and even on the day of his death, he was expected to attend a meeting with the LA police department addressing gang violence. The rapper passed in March of last year when he was fatally shot in front of his iconic Marathon store.

THE 35TH ANNUAL DAYTIME EMMY AWARDS

Source: ABC Photo Archives / Getty

Kristoff St. John, 52 – Kristoff St. John played the character of Neil Winters on the long-running CBS daytime soap opera “Young and the Restless.” St. John had been with the cast since 1991. During his tenure on the show, the actor was nominated nine times for the Daytime Emmy Awards. He won 10 NAACP Image Awards too.

CBS issued an emotional eulogy upon hearing of the actors tragic passing:

“The news of Kristoff St. John’s passing is heartbreaking. He was a very talented actor and an even better person,” they said in the statement. “For those of us who were fortunate enough to work with him on ‘The Young and the Restless’ for the last 27 years, he was a beloved friend whose smile and infectious laugh made every day on set a joy and made audiences love him. On behalf of the Y&R cast and crew, CBS and Sony Pictures Television, we offer our heartfelt sympathy to his family and loved ones, especially his two daughters, Paris and Lola.”

USA Today reported that St. John took a leave of absence from Young and the Restless in 2017 to receive psychiatric treatment following a scare with his mental health. The cause of his death was unknown.

2018 20th Century Fox Television LA Screenings

Kevin Barnett, 32 – Comedian and writer Kevin Barnett passed away unexpectedly last year. He co-created the TV comedy series “Rel” on Fox and previously, he was a writer for Comedy Central’s “Broad City.” You might also remember the comedian for his regular guest appearances on MTV2’s “Guy Code” and Chris Rock’s “Top Five” too.

So many of Kevin’s peers and fans were heartbroken by the sad news.  Apparently, the actor died from complications resulting from Pancreatitis. Pancreatitis is inflammation of the pancreas, which happens when “digestive enzymes become activated while still in the pancreas,” according to the Mayo Clinic’s website. Severe forms can be life-threatening.

The actor also appeared in a brief role on the set of Jordan Peele’s “Get Out.”

BOX-PERNELL WHITAKER

Source: BOB DAEMMRICH / Getty

Pernell “Sweetpea” Whitaker, 55 – Pernell “Sweet Pea” Whitaker was considered one of the greatest lightweight boxers of all time, he passed away last year after being struck by a vehicle.

Even as an amateur boxer, Witaker hit records with a 201-14 game score and averaging 91 knockouts.  In 1984, the legendary boxer won Olympic gold at the 1984 Summer Games in Los Angeles. He also received an award at the 1983 Pan American Games and silver at the 1982 World Championships.

After turning pro in 1984, Whitaker went on to become a world champion in 4 different weight classes: lightweight, light welterweight, welterweight, and light middleweight. Over the course of his career, he had an incredible winning streak with 40 wins (17 of which were by knockout), four losses, and one draw. Ring Magazine named him Fighter of the Year in 1989. In 2002, the magazine ranked him the 10th greatest boxer of the last 80 years. After a long and fruitful career, Whitaker retired from boxing in 2001.

Comments

Bossip Comment Policy
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.