Fresh Kid Ice, one of the founding members of the Miami hip-hop group 2 Live Crew, has died at 53. Born Christopher Wong Won in 1964 in Port of Spain, Trinidad, he co-founded 2 Live Crew with DJ Mr. Mixx and Amazing V in 1984 and eventually was joined by Luther Campbell.
“My Condolence goes out to the family Chris Wong Wong Fresh Kid Ice of the 2 Live Crew who just passed away people we lost a legend,” Campbell wrote on Twitter about Fresh Kid Ice’s Thursday-morning death.
Fresh Kid Ice was one of the first to represent Asians in hip-hop and spoke about Asian representation in hip-hop last year in an interview on Vice.
“The Asians were there in the beginning of hip-hop—but as DJs,” he said. “We’ve been in the background and stayed behind the scenes, but we learn from our mistakes. A lot of people see us as being passive, but sometimes being passive means that you’re learning. Right now, I see us right there with everyone else. [An Asian rapper] has to just come along and do it big.”
Fresh Kid Ice’s manager, DJ Debo, confirmed his death in a Miami hospital from an undisclosed medical condition.
DISCUSSION
RIP Fresh Kid Ice, I hope Tipper Gore pays her respects because 2 Live Crew made her lame ass more famous than she ever had any right to be.