US rapper dies after collapsing on stage

US Rapper Milton Powell, best known as Big Pokey, has died at aged 48years after he slumped during a performance in Texas on Saturday.

The artiste was performing at a Juneteenth-themed event at a bar on Saturday when he fell backwards on stage and was taken to a nearby hospital. He died on Sunday.

“He was well-loved by his family, his friends, and his loyal fans. Big Pokey will forever be ‘The Hardest Pit In The Litter!’”, his publicist said in a statement, making a reference to the rapper’s debut album.

Video circulating on social media showed Powell suddenly falling backwards with his microphone in hand while performing at the Pour09 Bar in Beaumont.

Paramedics were called shortly before midnight local time, a Beaumont Police spokeswoman told the Houston Chronicle. A cause of death has not been released.

Powell is most recognized for being a founding member of the iconic Houston-based hip-hop group Screwed Up Click. By lowering the pitch and tempo of the underlying recording, it helped create the “chopped-and-screwed” sound, which is a relaxed, low-slung sound that is characteristic of the city.

Powell charted in the Billboard Hot 100 when he appeared on the Paul Wall single Sittin Sidewayz in 2005. And last year, he featured on Megan Thee Stallion’s Southside Royalty Freestyle.

Tribune A/C