[Say It Ain’t So?] Former Bad Boy Rapper Craig Mack Died of Heart Failure At 47

Kilien St. Jacques

The Hip-Hop community has received shocking news. Craig Mack, known for being Bad Boy Records first signee, has died at 47.

According to the NY Daily News, the New York rapper, famous for his 1994 hit single, “Flava in Ya Ear,” died of congestive heart failure at a hospital near his home in Walterboro, S.C. on Monday (March 12). The news was confirmed by dear friend Alvin Toney, who produced Mack’s debut album “Project: Funk Da World.”

Craig Mack rose to stardom with his RIAA certified platinum hit “Flava in Ya Ear.” The track also receive a remix featuring Notorious B.I.G., L.L. Cool J, Busta Rhymes and Rampage that some consider the greatest rap posse cuts of all time. In 1994 he also released his album with Bad Boy records, Project: Funk Da World, which dropped one week after Biggie’s Ready to Die.

The rapper dropped his second album Operation: Get Down in 1997, which was his final full-length musical effort. He eventually stepped down from his rap career to commit to his religion. However, he did return in May 2016 with a religious rap song he performed at The Overcomer Ministry in South Carolina. He was one of the few Bad Boy artist that did not take part in the reunion tour.

The MC only had 25% of his heart working in his final months, reported by TMZ. He told family and a few close friends that he was dying.

Many hip-hop stars paid homeage to Mack as well, including Bad Boy Records founder P. Diddy.

Craig Mack, you were the first artist to release music on Bad Boy and gave us our first hit. You always followed your heart and you had an energy that was out of this world. You believed in me and you believed in Bad Boy. I will never forget what you did for hip-hop. pic.twitter.com/qvnxRTcdXv

— Diddy (@Diddy) March 13, 2018

“Craig Mack, you were the first artist to release music on Bad Boy and gave us our first hit,” Diddy tweeted. “ You always followed your heart and you had an energy that was out of this world. You believed in Bad Boy. I will never forget what you did for hip-hop.”

Funkmaster Flex on his own Instagram honored Craig Mack.. The caption reading, “Rest in Peace! Good brother … #CraigMack …Alvin Toney love my brother.”