Mister Cee, a famed hip-hop DJ and key determine behind Infamous B.I.G.’s debut album, dies at 57
LOS ANGELES — Mister Cee, one among hip-hop’s pioneering DJs and a New York Metropolis radio persona who performed an instrumental function within the Infamous B.I.G.‘s debut album, has died. He was 57.
The famed disk jockey’s loss of life was confirmed Wednesday by Skip Dillard, the model supervisor at 94.7 The Block NYC, the place Cee had a present. The reason for loss of life has not been introduced.
“We’ve misplaced probably the most vital figures within the trade,” 94.7 The Block mentioned in a social media publish.
Mister Cee was a key participant within the rap group. He was previously Large Daddy Kane’s DJ and an government producer on The Infamous B.I.G.’s groundbreaking 1994 debut, “Able to Die.”
The New York native was additionally a radio persona on his hometown’s Scorching 97. However he briefly give up his gig in 2013 after arrests in reference to soliciting prostitutes. Audio of 1 encounter surfaced on-line.
After that final incident, Mister Cee denied attempting to solicit intercourse from a male, and mentioned an undercover feminine police officer approached him. He additionally denied being gay.
However Mister Cee quickly went again on air for an interview on Scorching 97 with Ebro Darden and confessed in a tearful interview to having same-sex encounters with prostitutes. Nonetheless, he additionally mentioned he didn’t contemplate himself homosexual or bisexual.
Through the interview, Mister Cee apprehensive if his admission may harm him: “Am I nonetheless going to be seemed on the identical means?”
However Mister Cee gained assist from some inside hip-hop – which was stunning on the time, on condition that the group had usually been branded homophobic because of anti-gay lyrics by a few of its largest stars.
“No matter Mister Cee does along with his private life, extra energy to him,” mentioned Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, chief of The Roots in a 2013 interview. “He shouldn’t be ashamed of that. We received to develop up ultimately.”
Mister Cee finally determined to not give up his job at Scorching 97 and go to remedy after Darden persuaded him to remain put. On the time, he teamed up with the AIDS Well being Basis for a “new sexual revolution” marketing campaign the place he inspired others to open up about their sexuality and use safety.
However Mister Cee’s return to the station was brief lived. He left in 2014.
All through the years, Mister Cee maintained his respect throughout the rap trade and stored engaged on different radio packages, spinning throwback tracks on his present on 94.7 The Block earlier than his loss of life.
“I’m so blessed to have identified him,” Dillard mentioned on social media.
