It is all too common for rappers to die before their time, and several notable female rappers have died tragically young.
Whether drug overdoses, illness, or other accidents, the reasons for these deaths have all been different. Each one is a tragedy in its own right. However, the legacy of each of these women rappers lives on through their music.
Let’s find out more about some of these female rappers who died tragically before their time.
Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes
Date of death: 25 April 2002
Age: 30
Cause of death: car accident
Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes was best known as the rapper and songwriter from the 90s R&B group TLC.
Left Eye played a vital role in TLC’s success, helping them to become one of the best-selling girl groups of all time. Their album CrazySexyCool sold a staggering 23 million copies worldwide, and picked up four Grammy Awards.
Lisa was the only member of TLC who went on to release a solo album, which took the form of Supernova (2001).
Tragically, Lopes died in a car accident on 25 April 2002, while volunteering at a children’s development centre in Honduras.
Gangsta Boo
Date of death: 1 January 2023
Age: 43
Cause of death: drug overdose
Gangsta Boo – real name Lola Chantrelle Mitchell – was amongst the most influential female rappers of her time, rising to fame as a member of Three 6 Mafia.
She released three albums in her career, and collaborated with the likes of OutKast, Eminem, Run the Jewels, Latto, and GloRilla.
Boo was tragically found dead at her mother’s home on 1 January 2023. She passed away from an accidental drug overdose – a mixture of fentanyl, cocaine, and alcohol.
Gangsta Boo’s death shocked the hip-hop community, especially since the veteran rapper had not long announced the forthcoming release of her fourth album.
Chynna
Date of death: 8 April 2020
Age: 25
Cause of death: drug overdose
Chynna first rose to prominence as a model who was associated with ASAP Mob. She eventually moved from modelling into rapping, where she showed great promise, before her untimely death.
In her lyrics, Chynna often addressed themes of mental health and addiction – issues which ultimately were tied up with her tragic death.
Her biggest tracks included ‘Selfie’ (2013) and ‘Glen Coco’ (2014), and she released three EPs between 2015 and 2019.
Sadly, Chynna lost her life at the peak of her career, passing away from an accidental drug overdose on 8 April 2020 at just 25 years old.
Her song ‘stupkid’ (2020) was released posthumously on what would have been her 26th birthday, and her first album, Drug Opera, was released posthumously on 20 August 2021.
Hurricane G
Date of death: 6 November 2022
Age: 52
Cause of death: lung cancer
Gloria Rodríguez, better known as Hurricane G, was an American rapper of Puerto-Rican descent. She rose to success in the late 90s, especially thanks to her hit single ‘Somebody Else.’ The track reached number ten on Billboard’s Hot Rap Songs chart.
Some of her other hits included ‘El Barrio’ and ‘Underground Lockdown.’
Hurricane G became the first female member of Hit Squad, and collaborated with the likes of P. Diddy and Redman during her career. She released two albums – All Woman (1997) and Mami & Papi with Thirstin Howl III (2013)
Sadly, Hurricane G died from lung cancer on 6 November 2022, aged 52.
Lexii Alijai
Date of death: 1 January 2020
Age: 21
Cause of death: drug overdose
Lexii Alijai began her music career at a young age, rising to fame thanks to her freestyles and covers that garnered significant attention on social media.
She gained further attention with her mixtapes and original tracks, which showcased her lyricism and storytelling ability.
Alijai’s music dealt with personal struggles, relationships, and social issues and as her career continued to flourish, she collaborated with a number of prominent artists, including the likes of Kehlani.
The promising young rapper tragically overdosed on New Year’s Day 2020, from a combination of fentanyl and ethanol.
Her death served as a stark reminder of the toll mental health challenges and the pressures of the music industry can take on young artists.
Aaliyah
Date of death: 25 August 2001
Age: 22
Cause of death: aeroplane crash
Aaliyah Dana Haughton, known simply as Aaliyah, first gained recognition in the early 1990s with her debut album Age Ain’t Nothing But a Number. Released when she was just 15 years old, the album showcased Aaliyah’s smooth vocals, confident presence, and undeniable talent.
In 1996, Aaliyah’s sophomore album One in a Million became a huge commercial success, selling 8 million copies worldwide. The record’s biggest hits included ‘If Your Girl Only Knew,’ and ‘4 Page Letter,’ with the album remaining one of her most celebrated works to this day.
Tragically, the young artist died in 2001 in a aeroplane crash in the Bahamas, along with eight other passengers in her entourage. She had been filming a music video for the song ‘Rock the Boat.’
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