Legendary hip-hop deejay and producer Mister Cee, whose real name was Calvin LeBrun, died on April 10. He was only 57 years old. He died of diabetes-related coronary artery kidney disease.<\/p>\n
Affectionately known as \u201cThe Finisher,\u201d Mister Cee was previously a disc jockey on Hot 97 and a fixture on the party scene in New York and New Jersey. Up until the time of his death, he was spinning at 94.7 The Block. The latter released a statement on social media reacting to LeBrun\u2019s sudden passing in a joint post with another host at the station, Shelley Wade.<\/p>\n
\u201cYesterday was such an emotionally traumatizing day. For hours, we were concerned because we couldn\u2019t reach Mister Cee\u2026and then we got confirmation that he had passed away,\u201d the statement read. They posted a still image of the iconic Apollo Theater, a loving farewell tribute to LeBrun, acknowledging the gap in the culture he left behind.<\/p>\n
According to the American Journal of Public Health<\/a>, \u201cBlack men continue to have substantially lower life expectancy at birth than Black women and White women and men\u201d and \u201cThere is a lag in increases in survival between the ages of 45 and 75 years for Blacks with the largest gap in survival for Black men.\u201d In 2019, NPR<\/a> reported that \u201cBlack men have the lowest life expectancy of any major demographic group in the U.S.\u201d<\/p>\n LeBrun is not the only legendary producer or artist to leave the limelight tragically early. Biz Markie died at 57 as well after suffering a severe stroke. COVID-19 claimed the life of DJ Kay Slay at 55. The sun set on Phife Dawg\u2019s life due to diabetes complications at just 45. Heart failure led to the death of Craig Mack at 46. Their absence reflects the truth that fame does not isolate Black men from devastatingly short life expectancies. Pioneers in hip-hop like Mister Cee, who worked closely with the late Notorious B.I.G. and Big Daddy Kane, arrived on the scene before the maturation of the genre\u2019s financial potential, placing them in a different economic position than the moguls who succeeded them.<\/p>\n