Music

Twitter Reacts To Bushwick Bill's Death

Bushwick Bill Matthew Simmons/Getty Images
By Todd Jacobs

After conflicting reports of Geto Boys Bushwick Bill's death, Rolling Stone confirmed that the legendary Houston rapper passed away on June 9, 2019 due to a battle with pancreatic cancer. "Bushwick Bill passed away peacefully this evening at 9:35 p.m. He was surrounded by his immediate family," his publicist Dawn P. told the music outlet. "There were incorrect previous reports that he had passed away this morning. We are looking into doing a public memorial at a later date. His family appreciates all of the prayers and support and are asking for privacy at this time."

Born Richard Shaw, the Jamaica-born rapper was born with dwarfism. In 1991, he was shot in the eye during an altercation with his girlfriend, which resulted in him losing his right eye and being declared dead for three hours. According to The Undefeated, a photo of Bill's gruesome injury — possibly taken without his legitimate consent — became the controversial album cover for We Can't Be Stopped. Bushwick Bill's verses on hip-hop classics like "Mind Playing Tricks On Me," and "Damn It Feels Good to Be a Gangsta," earned him millions of fans around the world who paid tribute to the fallen rap titan on Twitter.

"RIP to the mighty Bushwick Bill. The Geto Boys were by far one of my biggest influences when I first started listening to and writing rap music. Rap-A-Lot Records was such a huge inspiration to every artist who didn't do mainstream music in that time period. You will be missed," one user wrote. "bushwick bill got shot in the eye in 1991, was pronounced dead, woke up in the morgue, pissed on the cop who was standing beside him, and proceeded to live and inspire for another 28 years like a true soldier smdh cancer is a dirty f******g b***h," another tweeted. "Bushwick Bill of the Geto Boys has passed away from pancreatic cancer. He rose to fame back at a time when rappers actually had to have talent to get a contract. This "little guy" towered over his peers. Respect 'n Peace," a fan tweeted. 

All we can say is RIP to a legend, and tell you if you aren't familiar with Geto Boys or Bushwick Bill, you are and don't realize yet (thanks, Office Space). Here are a few more reactions from fans and other rap legends alike on the untimely death of Bushwick Bill:

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