COLORADO (CelebrityAccess) – Bushwick Bill, a core member of pioneering Southern hip-hop group, Geto Boys, has passed away following a battle with pancreatic cancer.
Bill, who was born Richard Stephen Shaw in Kingston, Jamaica and raised in Brooklyn, joined the Geto Boys in 1986 following a stint as the group’s dancer performing under the name “Little Billy”. As Bushwick Bill, the rapper became an important member of the group whose classic lineup – Bushwick Bill, Willie D and Scarface – influenced both southern hip-hop and the horrorcore genre.
Over the course of the group’s career, Geto Boys went on to land three hits on the Billboard Hot 100, including 1992’s “Mind Playing Tricks On Me,” which reached No. 23, and also placed seven titles on the Billboard 200, with 1996’s Resurrection, peaking at No. 6.
When news broke back in May that Bill was battling stage 4 cancer, the group hit the road for a string of concert dates, dubbed The Beginning of a Long Goodbye, with a portion of proceeds going to support pancreatic cancer awareness.
A statement released Sunday by the late rapper’s publicist read: [Bill] “passed away peacefully this evening at 9:35 p.m. His family appreciates all of the prayers and support and are asking for privacy at this time.”
He was 52.
