Prince Markie Dee of the Fat Boys Died One Day Before His Birthday
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The cause of death remains unknown, but his longtime friend Louis Gregory confirms the sad news through Twitter as writing, 'My heart breaks today because I lost a brother.'

AceShowbiz - Hip-hop community is grieving again as Prince Markie Dee of pioneering rap group the Fat Boys has passed away. The rapper, who would have turned 52 years old on February 19, died on Thursday, February 18, one day before his birthday.

His longtime friend Louis Gregory confirms the sad news on Twitter, though he didn't mention the cause of death. "Forever in my Heart," he wrote along with a composite image of the late star. He remembered his friend, "Prince Markie Dee was more than a rapper; he was one of my very best and closest friends. My heart breaks today because I lost a brother. I'll always love you Mark and I'll cherish everything you taught me. Tomorrow is your birthday, swing my way big bro."

Louis Gregory's Tweet

Louis Gregory mourned the death of his friend Prince Markie Dee.

SiriusXM's Rock the Bells, where Dee had a daily show, also paid tribute on the blue bird app. "The Rock The Bells family is heartbroken to learn of the passing of Mark 'Prince Markie Dee' Morales earlier today. That voice and his presence can never be replaced. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his loved ones," it wrote.

Rock the Bells' Tweet

Rock the Bells paid tribute to the former the Fat Boys member.

Questlove took to Instagram to share an old clip of the Fat Boys on dance TV show "Soul Train" and praised their contribution to the music industry. "Like they were so dope we just took them for granted," he wrote in the caption, before mourning the death of Dee, "I mean--man...I dunno what I mean anymore. This hurts to see the mass exodus of people that helped shape my/our lives like this. Rest In Peace to Mark Morales, the Puerto Rican Prince, the Fat Boy....#PrinceMarkieDee."

Dee teamed up with Darren Robinson (the Human Beatbox) and Damon Wimbley (Kool Rock Ski) and performed under the name The Disco 3 before later becoming the Fat Boys. The group gained fame in the 1980s, with "Wipeout" and "The Twist (Yo, Twist)" among their hit singles.

All of their seven studio albums also earned a placement on the Billboard 200 chart. 1987's "Crushin' ", which featured "Wipeout," gave them an all-time high, peaking at No. 8. The set also snagged the No. 4 spot on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.

After the Fat Boys, Dee launched a successful solo career and signed with Columbia Records. He released his debut album "Free" in 1992, which spawned the No. 1 hit single "Typical Reasons (Swing My Way)". He also produced tracks for such artists as Mary J. Blige, Jennifer Lopez, Mariah Carey, Craig Mack and Marc Anthony.

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