Grammy-winning Fugees collaborator John Forté dead at 50
John Forté, the Grammy-winning rapper and producer best known for his work with the Fugees, has died at 50.
The musician was found dead at his home in Chilmark, Massachusetts, on January 12th.
According to The Associated Press, Chilmark Police Chief Sean Slavin said there were no signs of foul play or “readily apparent cause of death.”
Following his death, Fugees member Wyclef Jean paid tribute on Instagram. “This one hurts my brother,” he wrote. “John Forte has joined the Angels legends never Die look at the smile R I P my Refugee brother.”
The Martha Vineyard Times reports that Forté was hospitalised last year following a seizure and was taking medication to control the threat of a grand mal seizure.
Forté collaborated with the Fugees on their Grammy-winning album The Score in 1996, featuring on and producing ‘Family Business’. He also wrote and produced the song ‘Cowboys’ featuring the Outsidaz, while appearing on a remix of ‘Fu-Gee-La’ as a bonus track.
The Brooklyn-born artist released his debut album Poly Sci in 1998, followed by his second album, I, John, in 2002.
He famously worked with Jean on the song ‘We Trying to Stay Alive’, sampling the Bee Gees’ ‘Stayin’ Alive’, from his 1997 album The Carnival.
Forté also teamed up with the Fugees, A Tribe Called Quest, and Busta Rhymes on ‘Rumble in the Jungle’, which appeared on the When We Were Kings soundtrack in 1996. Other collaborators throughout his career included DMX, Fat Joe, and Carly Simon.
In 2000, Forté was sentenced to 14 years in prison after being found guilty of possession of liquid cocaine and drug trafficking. However, George W Bush pardoned him in 2008.
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