Def Jam’s first female rapper Lichelle Marie Laws has died aged 54 after a long battle against ill health, rapper Bun B of Southern rap group UGK posted on his Instagram profile.
The Detroit-born rapper known as BO$$ was signed by major hip hop label Def Jam Records. Her album Born Gangstaz reached number three on Billboard's Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart in 1993.
The album was produced by legendary hip hop producers such as Erick Sermon of EPMD, Jam Master Jay of Run-DMC and featured rappers such as AMG and hip hop group Onyx.
She also later featured in recordings with legendary rapper Ice-T, great West coast group South Central Cartel, California rapper Spice 1 and Krayzie Bone from Bone Thugs-n-Harmony.
BO$$ had suffered from renal disease since 2011 and unsuccessfully reached out on social media for a potential kidney donation. In 2017, she suffered a major stroke and in early 2021 a GoFundMe was set up to raise $15,000 for another medical procedure.
One of the greatest hip hop producers of all time DJ Premier paid tribute to her on his Instagram profile.
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