Chris Kelly dies at 34: Music icons eulogize the Kriss Kross rapper
"To millions of fans worldwide, he was the trendsetting, backwards pants-wearing one-half of Kris Kross who loved making music"
Chris Kelly, the rapper best known as "Mac Daddy" and one half of the 90s rap duo Kriss Kross, whose "Jump" was one of the decade's most enduring hits, has died in Atlanta at age 34. Police are treating the death as a possible drug overdose. The news was confirmed in an official statement from So So Def Records, co-signed by Chris Kelly's mother, Donna Kelly Pratte:
In addition to the official statement, So So Def Records founder Jermaine Dupri — who discovered the duo as preteens in an Atlanta shopping mall, and served as the sole producer on their 1992 debut album Totally Crossed Out — posted an open "Letter to the Fans":
Read the rest of the letter at Vibe.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Chris Smith, the other member of Kriss Kross, who performed under the moniker "Daddy Mac," paid tribute in a statement:
Read the rest of the statement at E! Online.
A wide range of other musicians and music industry representatives have also tweeted condolence messages:
Teddy Riley, who toured with Kriss Kross:
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Justin Bieber manager Scooter Braun:
And less than 24 hours after Kelly's death was confirmed, at least one artist had already performed a musical tribute. At a show in St. Louis on Wednesday night, Deftones frontman Chi Moreno eulogized Kelly before launching into a metal cover of "Jump":
Scott Meslow is the entertainment editor for TheWeek.com. He has written about film and television at publications including The Atlantic, POLITICO Magazine, and Vulture.
-
Will California's EV mandate survive Trump, SCOTUS challenge?
Today's Big Question The Golden State's climate goal faces big obstacles
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
'Underneath the noise, however, there’s an existential crisis'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
2024: the year of distrust in science
In the Spotlight Science and politics do not seem to mix
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published