Sean Price, Well-Loved Brooklyn Rapper, Dies At 43
Rapper Sean Price died unexpectedly in his sleep early Saturday morning at his home in Brooklyn. The highly respected and well-loved figure in hip-hop was just 43 years old.
Price was known for taking no prisoners when he got on the microphone. His was principled aggression and his presence was alpha. His rhymes were often dazzling, and he was impatient with mediocrity, though he did have a soft spot for puns.
"He was really one of the most genuinely funny people that I knew," says the New Jersey born producer known as Just Blaze, who was cracking jokes with Price on Twitter the day before he died. He remembers Price's very dry humor, his inclination to say outlandish things in a way that was so witty you couldn't help but laugh. "You know a lot of rappers have fake charisma? Where they can turn it on when the cameras are on, but that's not really them? He was just the same dude all the time."
He was the same dude from the early '90s through today. Sean Price got his start in hip-hop as half of the duo Heltah Skeltah, which produced two classic albums. They were also part of the supergroup of New York rappers called the Boot Camp Clik. And Price made a name for himself as a solo artist who collaborated with the contemporary generation of rappers and producers.
"Aside from what I feel," says Just Blaze, "the hip-hop community in general, we've lost a legend. I mean, this man did what he did, did it over the span of almost two decades, and consistently got better."
Sean Price's writing and character were widely admired — the hip-hop community flooded social media with tributes and personal stories this weekend.
"Obviously, he's a street dude, came from a rough environment. But at the same time, still kind of had those same nerdy or geeky tendencies that I had. You know what I mean? There's actually a lot of dudes like that, but you would just never know because they keep that guard up so much. There's plenty of dudes who come from the street who are the hardest of the hardest street dudes, who go home and read comic books."
Sean Price leaves behind his wife and three children. His latest project, Songs in the Key of Price, is due out later this month.
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Transcript
RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:
And now let's remember a highly respected and well-loved figure in hip-hop. Rapper Sean Price died unexpectedly in his sleep this past weekend at his home in Brooklyn. He was just 43 years old. Here's NPR's Frannie Kelley.
FRANNIE KELLEY, BYLINE: Sean Price was known for taking no prisoners when he got on the microphone.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "I AIN'T HAVIN THAT")
SEAN PRICE: (Rapping) You don't got no ends in mi casa. My [expletive] proper, you still [expletive] my kielbasa. From Hillshire, I still fire from helicopters.
KELLEY: His rhymes were often dazzling, and he was impatient with mediocrity, though he did have a soft spot for puns.
JUSTIN SMITH: 'Cause he was really, like, one of the most genuinely funny people that I knew.
KELLEY: The New Jersey-born producer known as Just Blaze was cracking jokes with Price on Twitter the day before he died.
SMITH: You know, a lot of rappers have fake charisma where they can turn it on when the cameras are on, but that's not really them. He was just the same dude all the time.
KELLEY: He was the same dude from the early '90s all the way through today. Sean Price got his start in hip-hop as half of the duo Heltah Skeltah, which produced two classic albums. They were also part of the super-group of New York rappers called the Boot Camp Clik. And Price made a name for himself as a solo artist who collaborated with the contemporary generation of rappers and producers.
SMITH: Aside from what I feel, you know, the hip-hop community in general, we've lost a legend. I mean, this man did what he did, you know, over the span of almost two decades and consistently got better.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "BATTERING BARS")
PRICE: (Rapping) Don't talk crazy on cellphones. Workers get ten off a buck, like hell no. Hell, yeah. I am that dude. Went bald, sell drugs, rapper with an attitude.
KELLEY: Sean Price's writing and character were widely admired. The hip-hop community filled social media with tributes and personal stories this weekend.
SMITH: You know, obviously he's a street dude, came from a rough environment, but at the same time, still kind of had those same nerdy or geeky tendencies that I had. There's plenty of dudes who come from the street who were the hardest of the hardest street dudes who go home and read comic books.
KELLEY: Sean Price leaves behind his wife and three children. His latest project, "Songs In The Key Of Price," is due out later this month. Frannie Kelley, NPR News, New York.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "ONION HEAD")
PRICE: (Rapping) From coast to coast, he traveled the land, left footprints in grains of sand. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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