Tributes have been pouring in for the groundbreaking artist.
DJ Unk, an Atlanta rapper best known for his hits Walk It Out and 2 Step, has died aged 43.
The artist’s wife, Sherkita Long-Platt, announced the news of her husband’s death in an emotional post on Facebook.
She wrote: “Please respect me and my family. I just lost my husband and my kids just lost their father. Our life will never be the same. I LOVE YOU ANTHONY FOREVER.”
A cause of death has not yet been revealed, however, according to the New York Post, DJ Unk suffered from “health complications.”
In 2009, the hip-hop star was hospitalized for a heart attack, which he told XXL magazine was brought on by nonstop touring, poor eating habits, drinking and smoking.
Unk – whose real name was Anthony Leonard Platt – rose to fame in the mid-2000s with his debut album, Beat’n Down Yo Block!.
He had two breakout singles from the 2006 record — Walk It Out, which climbed into the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 chart and spurred a remix featuring André 3000 and Jim Jones, followed by 2 Step.
André 3000, formerly of Outkast, opened up about working with DJ Unk in a 2023 interview. “The beat was so jammin’ that you just wanted to get on it,” he said.
Legendary producer Dr Dre also described working with Unk as a “blessing”.
Fellow musicians, music publications, and sporting icons have posted tributes for the late rapper on social media.
RIP DJ Unk 🕊️pic.twitter.com/fOIQpVcnkb
— Complex Music (@ComplexMusic) January 25, 2025
Rest in Peace, DJ Unk 🙏 pic.twitter.com/vINpoPGqJO
— Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) January 25, 2025
Shout out to DJ Unk, who passed away today at 43.
— Torraine Walker (@TorraineWalker) January 24, 2025
Dude may have been one of, if not the first, ATL artist to have a local indie nightclub hit take off and go mainstream platinum in the early blogging/social media era. #RIPDJUNK!!! 🎤🙏🏾🕊️ pic.twitter.com/q8H2QlHF9K
