Tributes have poured in for American rapper Rich Homie Quan after authorities confirmed his death on Thursday.
The Fulton County Medical Examiner said the artist, who was in his early 30s, died in Atlanta, Georgia.
The cause of his death was unclear and local medical authorities said an autopsy was scheduled for Friday.
Rich Homie Quan, whose legal name is Dequantes Devontay Lamar, is one of Atlanta’s best-known modern rappers.
He rose to rap prominence in the mid-2010s, achieving mainstream success with 2013’s hit single “Type of Way,” followed by 2015’s wildly popular “Flex” (Ooh, Ooh, Ooh).
He has been nominated for several BET and BET Hip Hop Awards such as Best New Artist and People’s Champion Award.
He has also collaborated with some of the biggest names in the industry, including 2 Chainz, Young Thug, Gucci Mane and Trinidad James.
Rich Homie Quan was born in October 1989, the oldest of three siblings, and grew up in a single-parent household, according to Atlanta performance venue Masquerade. He originally dreamed of becoming a baseball player, but eventually turned to music.
He has been candid about his early life in various interviews and was jailed for 15 months in 2011 for his role in a series of burglaries.
After his release from prison, he devoted himself to music and became a superstar in the rap industry in the mid-2010s.
Since news of his death was announced, the rap community has poured in tributes to the artist.
Singer Jacques was one of the first to pay his respects. “RIP my brother Rich Homie Quan,” he said on X.
2 Chainz posted a tribute on Instagram, saying, “Dear brother, we just talked about filming the video, special prayers for you and your family and for everyone who is dealing with my condolences.”
Rapper Quavo also posted on Instagram, writing above a photo of himself, Rich Homie Quan and several other artists: “May God be with us, never saw this be a part of our journey.”
Engineer Alex Tumay, who has worked with Rich Homie Quan over the years, said the artist “[o]He is the best person I have ever worked with and a true artist. Absolutely shocking news. Rest in peace”.
