Obituary
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Death of Oluwatoyin Salau: What We Know So Far
Citizens are demanding answers surrounding the death of 19-year-old Oluwatoyin Salau, a Black Lives Matter activist from Tallahassee, Fla., who went missing on June 6, the same day she tweeted that she was sexually assaulted. The Tallahassee Democrat reports that her body was found on Saturday, and her family confirmed the tragic news on Monday…
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This Is Her: Writer Jas ‘JasFly’ Waters Dies at 39; Hollywood and Hip-Hop Insiders Celebrate Her Life
On Wednesday afternoon, a dark cloud covered the Black Twitter timeline as news was released that Jas “JasFly” Waters (NBC’s This Is Us, Showtime’s Kidding) had died. The official This Is Us writers’ room account confirmed the tragic news in a tweet. “The entire #ThisIsUs family was devastated to learn of Jas Waters passing,” the…
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Bonnie Pointer, One of the Founding Members of the Pointer Sisters, Dies at 69 From Cardiac Arrest
Patricia Eva “Bonnie” Pointer, one of the founding members of The Pointer Sisters has died. She was 69 years old. According to Variety, a representative confirmed that Bonnie’s cause of death was cardiac arrest. “It is with great sadness that I have to announce to the fans of the Pointer Sisters that my sister Bonnie…
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NBA Community Reacts to the Death of Wes Unseld at 74
In a joint statement, the Washington Wizards and the family of Wes Unseld announced his passing on Tuesday. He was 74. “It is with profound sadness that we share that our adored husband, father and grandfather Wes Unseld passed away peacefully this morning surrounded by family following lengthy health battles, most recently with pneumonia,” the…
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White People Nationwide Mourn the Senseless Murder of a Minneapolis Target Store
“I’m still in shock. It was just there yesterday.” said 31-year-old Minneapolis resident Josh Hanks as he battled tears while standing in front of the Lake Street Target store’s remains. “I have so many memories of the Home and Patio section. So many laughs. So many smiles. And now it’s gone forever.” For the Lake…
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Drummer Jimmy Cobb, Last Surviving Member of Miles Davis' First Great Sextet, Dies at 91
Legendary drummer Jimmy Cobb, the last surviving member of Miles Davis’ First Great Sextet, died at the age of 91 in his Manhattan home on Sunday. His wife, Eleana Tee Cobb confirmed to NPR that Cobb died from lung cancer. His fantastic drumming skills became known as the “pulse” of Davis’ iconic album, Kind of…
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We've Lost Another Icon: No Pain (No Gain) Singer Betty Wright Has Died at 66
Betty Wright, the R&B and soul singer known for classics like “Clean Up Woman” and “Tonight is the Night,” has died at 66 years old. Her family confirmed the news to Essence on Sunday. The cause of death has not yet been revealed, though Chaka Khan put out a call on Twitter earlier in the…
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Uptown Records Founder Andre Harrell Has Died at 59
The man behind Uptown Records, the New York City-based label that launched the careers of acts like Diddy, Jodeci, Mary J. Blige, and Heavy D has died at 59 years old. Billboard News confirmed the sad news of Andre Harrell’s death after DJ D-Nice first announced it on Instagram Live Friday night. The cause of…
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Little Richard, a Founder of Rock 'n' Roll, Has Died at 87
“I should be better recognized today for sure,” Little Richard said in an August 2010 interview with the Wall Street Journal. “I am the beginning. I am the originator.” And indeed, the outrageous performer with the wild falsetto and pounding keyboards ushered in a new sound in the 1950s that combined rock ‘n’ roll with…
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'My Boy Lollipop' Singer Millie Small Dead at 72
Millie Small, the Jamaican singer best known for recording the chart-topping smash “My Boy Lollipop” as a teenager in 1964, died yesterday after suffering a stroke. She was 72. Billboard and BBC News report that her death was confirmed by Island Records. The label remembers her as “a sweet person… really special” and “a true…