Black Rob, Former Bad Boy Records Artist, Dies at 52

BY Calum SlingerlandPublished Apr 19, 2021

Robert Ross — the American rap artist known best as Black Rob — has died. Ross passed away Saturday (April 17) at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta from cardiac arrest. Ross was 52 years old.

Friend Mark Curry confirmed the artist's cause of death to the New York Times, adding that Ross was dealing with health issues, including lupus, kidney failure, diabetes and multiple strokes, prior to his death. 

The former Bad Boy signee recently shared a video from hospital in which he paid tribute to the late DMX. At the time of his death, Ross was raising money to cover his medical expenses through GoFundMe.

Ross began rapping as a child growing up in New York and joined his first rap group, the Schizophrenics, in his early 20s. The '90s would see him work extensively with Diddy's Bad Boy label, appearing alongside the likes of Mase, Puff Daddy & the Family, the Notorious B.I.G., Faith Evans and more.

Ross made his debut as Black Rob with 2000's Life Story, which spawned successful single "Whoa!" The song peaked at No. 43 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and reached the Top 10 on both the R&B and Rap charts.


In 2005, Ross would deliver sophomore solo LP The Black Rob Report. He parted ways with Bad Boy in 2010, subsequently signing to independent label Duck Down Records for 2011's Game Tested, Streets Approved.

The artist's fourth and final album, Genuine Article, arrived in 2015.

Find tributes to Ross below from Diddy, LL Cool J, Q-Tip, GZA and more.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Busta Rhymes (@bustarhymes)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by LOVE (@diddy)

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