Rap legend Chino XL’s cause of death confirmed

A true hip hop legend.

The East Coast musician, who was born Derek Emmanuel Barbosa, had been active in the music scene since his teens, before signing with a label at just 16.

Chino XL's fame rapidly ascended in the mid-90s, and he was particularly known for his feud with Tupac Shakur.

In Chino XL's song Riiiot!, the rapper name-dropped Tupac sparking a beef between the two rappers, which resulted in Tupac releasing Hit Em Up, in which he directly called him out.

It's unclear if Tupac and Chino XL ever set aside their differences before Tupac was killed in September 1996.

In a statement shared yesterday, Chino XL's family spoke about the 'profound sadness' they're undergoing following his sudden death.

They also explained that he died by suicide.

The statement reads: "With the most profound sadness imaginable, we share the news that our beloved father decided to end his own life.

"It's been the most painful and personal experience of our lives but in honor of Suicide Awareness Month, we decided to share the truth.

"Dad would hope that this news may help someone else stay alive."

His daughters added: "Our father was our rock and our best friend. Papa Bear loved us and taught us so much. Hundreds of emails, texts, chats and beautiful posts and comments on social media, have shown us that Dad was a fountain of strength to so many.

"He encouraged and comforted pretty much everyone in his path and left this dimension with an untouchable creative legacy.

"We are grateful beyond words for our time with Dad and are overwhelmed by the immeasurable global outpouring of love from around the world. We will forever navigate this catastrophic loss and ask for continued privacy.”

Read next: