Louie Rankin — a Grammy Award-winning dancehall artist and actor — has died in a car crash near Shelburne, ON. Ontario Provincial Police say Rankin's vehicle collided with a tractor-trailer outside the small town Monday morning (September 30). Rankin's official Twitter account also confirmed news of his passing. He was 66.
"It saddens us to have to announce that The 'ORGINAL DON DADA' 'Trail Blazer' the legend — Louie Ox Rankin passed away this morning!" the post read. "May God keep his soul with his father, sister and neice in #heaven #amen #sipox"
Born in Jamaica, Rankin is known best for playing Lennox (a.k.a. Ox) in Hype Williams' 1998 crime drama Belly, and Teddy Bruckshot in 2002's Shottas.
"My life was changed when I did Belly because it became one of the biggest ever blockbusters in gangster movie history," Rankin recalled in a 2014 interview. "It was like a version of Scarface. So it had a major impact and did a lot for me as an actor."
As a musician, Rankin made his solo debut with 1992's Showdown, with album opener "Typewriter" earning him a Grammy Award. He also appeared alongside Belly co-star Nas in the video for DJ Khaled's 2016 single "Nas Album Done."
Sharing a photo of Khaled, Rankin and himself, Nas called his late collaborator "a legend," and said that it was "great working with this man."
"In Belly you stole the show," Nas wrote. "'You Wana Rump with bombaclot me??!' In @djkhaled video Nas Album Done, your presence was super live wire much needed. RIP Don Dada."
Rankin was also a supporter of the Toronto Raptors and regularly posted videos of himself delivering inspirational playoff messages for the team and fans en route to capturing the 2019 NBA Championship.
Rankin revealed on Instagram that he was at work on "a major movie" in Toronto a day before his passing.
Find tributes from Rankin's friends and collaborators below.
"It saddens us to have to announce that The 'ORGINAL DON DADA' 'Trail Blazer' the legend — Louie Ox Rankin passed away this morning!" the post read. "May God keep his soul with his father, sister and neice in #heaven #amen #sipox"
Born in Jamaica, Rankin is known best for playing Lennox (a.k.a. Ox) in Hype Williams' 1998 crime drama Belly, and Teddy Bruckshot in 2002's Shottas.
"My life was changed when I did Belly because it became one of the biggest ever blockbusters in gangster movie history," Rankin recalled in a 2014 interview. "It was like a version of Scarface. So it had a major impact and did a lot for me as an actor."
As a musician, Rankin made his solo debut with 1992's Showdown, with album opener "Typewriter" earning him a Grammy Award. He also appeared alongside Belly co-star Nas in the video for DJ Khaled's 2016 single "Nas Album Done."
Sharing a photo of Khaled, Rankin and himself, Nas called his late collaborator "a legend," and said that it was "great working with this man."
"In Belly you stole the show," Nas wrote. "'You Wana Rump with bombaclot me??!' In @djkhaled video Nas Album Done, your presence was super live wire much needed. RIP Don Dada."
Rankin was also a supporter of the Toronto Raptors and regularly posted videos of himself delivering inspirational playoff messages for the team and fans en route to capturing the 2019 NBA Championship.
Rankin revealed on Instagram that he was at work on "a major movie" in Toronto a day before his passing.
Find tributes from Rankin's friends and collaborators below.
It saddens us to have to announce that The “ORGINAL DON DADA” “Trail Blazer” the legend - Louie Ox Rankin passed away this morning! May God keep his soul with his father, sister and neice in #heaven #amen #sipox
Sadly unexpected news of @louierankin passing Jamaican #Dancehall #legend We in Toronto thank him for his undying loyalty & quotes for our @raptors or in his words #Rapchazz ToTheWorld #WeTheNorth #riplouierankin #the6ix #Toronto 🇨🇦 #Jamaica 🇯🇲
WOW. RIP Louie Rankin, the ruffest, tuffest bumboclaaat badman.
“I am the original Jamaican don dada” this is one of my favorite movie scenes of all time RIP Louie Rankin 🇯🇲🙏🏾
R.I.P. TO A LEGEND! REST EASY LOUIE RANKIN
Rest easy, Champ 🙏🏽
