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We have some tragic news to report from the world of music.
DJ Unk (whose real name was Anthony Leonard Platt) has passed away at the age of 43.
News of the rapper’s passing comes to us courtesy of his wife, Sherkita Long-Platt.
DJ Unk’s Cause of Death
“Please respect me and my family. I just lost my husband and my kids just lost their father,” Sherkita wrote on Facebook Friday night.
“Our life will never be the same. I LOVE YOU ANTHONY FOREVER,” her post concluded.
Platt’s cause of death has not been revealed, but the hip hop legend has been open about his long battle with various health issues.
“I had some medical issues going on from not eating the right food and that just come from when I stopped taking care of myself. I got to get healthy not just for my sake, but also for my kids and for my wife,” Platt told XXL in 2010 (via USA Today).
“It comes from not exercising, from not eating right. Basically man, I work hard everyday. Everything I do every day I try to make something happen in my household,” he continued.
“I constantly be on the go, I constantly be on airplanes, in different weather and you know it just took a toll on me. It was stress.”
It’s unclear, at this time, if Platt’s passing was a result of these health issues.
An Icon In His Field
Platt is best known for his 2006 hit “Walk It Out.”
The song rose to number 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number two on the outlet’s hip hop and R&B chart.
“Walk It Out” made Unk a household name among hip hop fans. A later remix featured verses by Outkast and Jim Jones.
A follow-up single, “2 Step,” also performed well on the charts.
Unk continued to perform live until his final days, most recently taking the stage at the Coulda Fest in his native Atlanta in September of last year.
Our thoughts go out to Unk’s loved ones during this enormously difficult time.
