Albert Johnson, better known as rapper Prodigy, has died at age 42.

One half of duo Mobb Deep, Prodigy—together with rapper-producer Havoc—found fame in the early ‘90s with the pair’s debut album Juvenile Hell. Spitting a similar lyrical approach to rising star Nas on his Illmatic album, Mobb Deep was catapulted into mainstream hip-hop culture with the release of The Infamous in 1995, which sold more than half a million copies in two months.

Since birth, the performer had battled sickle cell anemia: a medical condition where red bloods cells distort their shape and can get stuck in small blood vessels. Complications can include the blockage of oxygen from reaching various parts of the body. The median life expectancy of men with a common form of sickle cell is 42.

Prodigy had been vocal in the past about his dedication to his health regimen, crediting his time in prison from 2007 to 2011 as a wake-up call. Claiming that nobody would take an incarcerated individual to the hospital for blood disorders, the rapper made a conscious effort to eat well, drink a lot of water, and exercise to mitigate the effects of the disease.  

Speaking to hip-hop magazine XXL earlier today (June 20), Prodigy’s publicist confirmed sickle cell’s role in the rapper’s passing.

“It is with extreme sadness and disbelief that we confirm the death of our dear friend Albert Johnson, better known to millions of fans as Prodigy of legendary New York rap duo, Mobb Deep,” the statement says. “Prodigy was hospitalized a few days ago in Vegas after a Mobb Deep performance for complications caused by a sickle cell anemia crisis. The exact causes of death have yet to be determined. We would like to thank everyone for respecting the family’s privacy at this time.”

Alongside Nas and Wu-Tang Clan, with whom the pair have collaborated, Mobb Deep was vital in establishing the sound of hardcore East Coast hip-hop during the ‘90s, with singles like “Shook Ones (Part II)” and “Survival of the Fittest”. The duo later signed to 50 Cent’s G-Unit Records to release their seventh album, Blood Money.

In 2012, one year after the conclusion of Prodigy’s jail sentence, the duo went on an indefinite hiatus after Havoc blasted his partner in a Twitter rant and diss song, “Separated (Real From the Fake)”. The pair reunited in 2013, and Mobb Deep performed the weekend prior to Prodigy’s death at the Art of Rap Tour in Las Vegas.

The tributes to the artist include Havoc’s touching Instagram post of the pair as young adults, with a caption reading “Forever.” Nas shared a picture of the star reading a book, writing “QB RIP King P. Prodigy 4 Ever”.

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