Hip-Hop fans are gathered in mourning the loss of a pioneering rapper from Los Angeles’ sprawling underground Hip-Hop scene. P.E.A.C.E., a member of Freestyle Fellowship, passed away over the weekend, and social media has been flooded with moving tributes.
Details are scant regarding the passing of P.E.A.C.E., but the official Instagram account for Freestyle Fellowship shouted out the rapper in a post sharing condolences.
“Rest well brother P.E.A.C.E [flying angels emojis]. You had a great heart and you were authentic. One of West coast Hiphop royal treasures. You will be surely missed my friend,” read the caption of the post with a photo of the rapper.
The artist born Mtulazaji Davis split time between Texas and Los Angeles, but mostly lived in California. According to his Wikipedia bio, Davis began rapping in high school in the 1980s and eventually crossed paths with his future Freestyle Fellowship cohort Myka 9 at the famed Good Life Cafe, where the city’s up-and-coming lyricists honed their skills in a weekly open-mic event.
In fact, filmmaker Ava DuVernay is a Good Life Cafe alum, who performed in the Figures of Speech duo with Jyant. DuVerny also directed the This Is The Life documentary about the open-mic event featuring many of the figures of the scene.
In 1991, Freestyle Fellowship released their debut album, To Whom It May Concern…, following that with 1993’s Innercity Griots, an album many fans consider a classic release.
Tributes from artists such as Evidence of Dilated Peoples fame, Blu, Sunspot Jonz, Exile, and Myka 9 have been cropping up. In addition, fans of Freestyle Fellowship are sharing their thoughts, including praising P.E.A.C.E. as one of the best “off the dome” freestyle rappers to ever exist.
We have those reactions and tributes listed below. Our deepest condolences and respect to the Davis family and all who knew and loved Mtulazaji Davis.
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Photo: Screenshot/@freestylefellowship
