The hip-hop world lost a unique voice as Craig Mack tragically passed away at the age of 46 on Monday, March 12. Many have shared thoughts on the New York emcee who left a mark on the game with his hip-hop staple “Flava in Ya Ear.”
Among those mourning the loss was Diddy, who signed Craig Mack to Bad Boy records as their first artist. He took to Twitter on Tuesday, offering a heartfelt message in honor of his former protégé.
“Craig Mack, you were the first artist to release music on Bad Boy and gave us our first hit.” Diddy wrote. “You always followed your heart and you had an energy that was out of this world. You believed in me and you believed in Bad Boy. I will never forget what you did for hip-hop. You inspired me and will continue to inspire us. We will always love you. #badboy4life #ripcraigmack.”
According to longtime friend and hip-hop pioneer Erick Sermon, Mack passed away from congestive heart failure. Speaking With TMZ, Sermon revealed that Craig Mack called his closet friends months ago to divulge his failing health. Despite his health issues, Sermon said that Mack wanted to “get his story told” and interviewed with a fellow friend. “Craig Mack wanted to tell his story before he left,” said Sermon.