Hardcore rap pioneer Chris “Fresh Kid Ice” Wong Won has passed away at age 53. Earlier this morning, the Miami rap community broke the news online. According to sources, the cause of his death is still unknown.
As part of the 2 Live Crew, Ice pushed for free speech in hip-hop when the music was under intense scrutiny from the government, media and the general public. The Miami-bred rapper is a true legend in every sense of the word —especially for the Asian rap community.
Dam! Just got call we lost 2 Live crew legend Fresh Kid Ice this morning! RIP 🙏🏽
— Yung Rénzél 👑 (@RickRoss) July 13, 2017
“Born in Trinidad & Tobago and raised in Brooklyn, NY, Fresh Kid Ice was in the Air Force stationed in Riverside, California when he formed 2 Live Crew in 1984 with Mr. Mixx and Amazing Vee. After they released their first single “Revelation,” 2 Live Crew realized how big their single was in Florida and permanently relocated to Miami soon afterwards. Once Vee dropped out, Fresh Kid Ice aka the Chinaman was the only rapper on records like “Throw the D” and “Ghetto Bass” until Brother Marquis and Uncle Luke joined the squad.
In 1986, 2 Live Crew dropped their debut album The 2 Live Crew Is What We Are, which went gold. They followed up with their sophomore LP Move Somethin’ and their most popular yet controversial album As Nasty As They Wanna Be, which featured their smash hit “Me So Horny.” Although it was the first album ever to be labeled legally obscene by the US Government, the album went double platinum, was number 29 on the Billboard 200, and number 3 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.”
via VIBE
My Condolence goes out to the family Chris Wong Wong Fresh Kid Ice of the 2 Live Crew who just passed away people we lost a legend
— Luther Luke Campbell (@unclelukereal1) July 13, 2017
