John Forté, a rapper and producer who had a major-label moment as part of the Fugees' extended crew, has died. The Associated Press reports that police in Chilmark, Massachusetts found Forté's body in his house on Monday. Police claim that there were no signs of foul play, and the cause of his death is currently unclear. Forté was 50.
Pras Michel from the Fugees shared this statement through a representative:
John was more than just a collaborator. He was family. We came up together in an era when hip-hop was about pushing boundaries, telling real stories, and creating something that mattered. His talent as a writer, producer, and artist was undeniable. Anyone who heard his work knew they were in the presence of someone special. I’m glad I got to share the star with him one last time.
The hip-hop community has lost a real one. I've lost a brother.
Rest in power, John. Your music and your spirit live on.
John Forté had a truly wild run in the spotlight. Forté, a Brooklyn native, studied classical violin as a child, and he went to the prestigious prep school Phillips Exeter Academy. He went on to NYU, where he was a music business major, and to work as an A&R rep at the celebrated rap label Rawkus. When he was 21, Forté co-wrote and co-produced a couple of tracks on the Fugees' massively successful 1996 album The Score, and he rapped on the deep cut "Family Business" and on the Refugee Camp remix of the hit "Fu-Gee-La." He also worked on Wyclef Jean's 1997 solo album The Carnival and appeared on the Bee Gees-sampling single "We Trying To Stay Alive."
In 1998, Forté released his solo debut Poly Sci. Wyclef co-produced and appeared on the Nena-sampling single "Ninety Nine (Flash The Message)," but Forté produced much of the LP himself. Poly Sci didn't sell a ton of copies, but I bought it, and I liked it, especially the DMX collab "We Got This." Two years after the album came out, Forté was arrested at Newark International Airport, where he was carrying a briefcase with $1.4 million worth of liquid cocaine. He was sentenced to 14 years in prison for drug trafficking, and he released the 2002 independent album I, John while he was awaiting sentencing.
One of the guests who appeared on I, John was the '70s hitmaker Carly Simon. Forté was childhood friends with Simon's son Ben, and both Ben and Carly became advocates for Forté while he was in prison, at their urging, George W. Bush commuted Forté's sentence in 2008. He went on to release a few more independent albums in recent years.
Fugees' Lauryn Hill shared the following:
I can’t remember the exact moment I met John Forte or Forte as we used to call him, but I know we became fast friends very soon after. I loved him, my family loved him… I remember meeting his mom with her sweet voice for the first time and walking New York City streets with him in full youthful fascination mode. Our generation of hip hop was young and at the ascent of its epic rise. We were both there…participating and taking it all in, full of excitement and possibility. Forte was a gentlemen and a scholar with a strong pen, deep soul, and kind heart. Part Brownsville, part prep-school, he had access to a way of expressing himself with a vocabulary and fluency that was very unique for the time. John was a gentle soul beneath all of his Brownsville chanting, I wish we’d had the opportunity to embrace that even more back then. I introduced Forte to Wyclef and Pras and soon after he’d become part of the crew, (Refugee Camp to be exact) and part of the music the Fugees were creating. Contributing bars, beats, and that beautiful smile. I remember that summer like a movie. Me, Forte, Chuck and Edwin were everywhere in NYC, in love with hip hop, where it was going and where it could go. We were all inseparable that summer, music and fashion connoisseurs, outside- figuring out the best ways to communicate our particular consciousnesses within that musical landscape. Our escapades read like a 90’s version of ‘Cooley High’ to me.
I hadn’t seen John in years before the last Mised-Fugees Tour, but he stepped on stage like no time had passed at all. We were in contact only a few weeks ago. This loss is unexpected and surreal and my heart aches… for his family, for his wife, for his children, for his friends, and for all of us who were blessed to know him. I Love you John. Rest in peace gentle King.
