Fat Boys rapper Prince Markie Dee has died at the age of 52.
Dee’s longtime friend, Louis Gregory, confirmed the news on twitter.
The cause of death was not revealed.
Dee joined forces with fellow Brooklyn natives Darren Robinson (The Human Beat Box) and Damon Wimbley (Kool Rock Ski) to form the Fat Boys. The trio is widely known for popularizing beatboxing and is one of the pioneering rap groups from the Golden Age of Hip Hop.
Powerhouse singles like “Jailhouse Rap” and “Can You Feel It” made them popular, but the trio’s biggest hits were a cover of “Wipeout” and “The Twist,” which charted at Nos. 12 and 16 on the Billboard Hot 100, respectively.
Dee was one of the first Latinx rappers to achieve mainstream success for his work with the Fat Boys, ultimately becoming the first Latinx rapper to go platinum.
In addition to their music career, the Fat Boys appeared in films like "Disorderlies" and "Krush Groove".
