Kris Kross Rapper Chris Kelly Dies at 34
UPDATED: So So Def released a statement calling the "Jump" artist "the kind, generous and fun-loving life of the party."
Chris Kelly, best known as one half of the 1990s rap duo Kris Kross, has died. He was 34.
The Fulton County Medical Examiner confirmed to Billboard that Kelly was found unresponsive in his Atlanta home and pronounced dead at Atlanta Medical Center just after 8 p.m.
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A cause of death has not been determined and no further details have been released.
Kris Kross is best known for the multi-platinum 1992 album Totally Krossed Out, which included the hit "Jump," among others. Earlier this year, they performed at the 20th anniversary party for Jermaine Dupri’s So So Def label.
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The duo, which also included Chris "Daddy Mac" Smith, famously wore their clothes backwards and favored them extra baggy. They were just 13 when Dupri discovered them in an Atlanta mall.
Kelly's mother, Donna Kelly Pratte, and So So Def released a joint statement Wednesday night:
“It is with deep sadness that we announce that our beloved Chris Kelly has passed away on May 1. To millions of fans worldwide, he was the trendsetting, backwards pants-wearing one-half of Kris Kross who loved making music. But to us, he was just Chris – the kind, generous and fun-loving life of the party. Though he was only with us a short time, we feel blessed to have been able to share some incredible moments with him. His legacy will live on through his music, and we will forever love him.”
Twitter: @THRMusic
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