Influential MC Jimmy Spicer Dead at 61

Jimmy Spicer, a pioneer in the hip-hop community, passed away on Friday at the age of 61.

Spicer’s daughter Leticia Ricks informed The New York Times that the cause of her father’s death was brain and lung cancer. Spicer had been diagnosed with advanced Stage 4 lung and brain cancer last year. He was admitted to hospice care earlier this month when his health worsened. His family turned to GoFundMe to help cover the costs of his treatment, as well as “a final send-off worthy and deserving of a hip hop legend.” The initiative raised over $9,000 in contributions. 

One of Spicer’s most impactful contributions to hip-hop was his nearly 15-minute-long rap titled “Adventures of Super Rhyme,” where he showcased his unique style without interruption from a hook. It was this song that Snoop Dogg credits for inspiring him to pursue his own career in the rap game. 

Spicer rose to prominence in the late 1970s and experienced sustained success into the early ’80s. Many key moments in his career have been intertwined with that of Russell Simmons, who signed him to his company Rush Management, and produced his hit single “The Bubble Bunch.”

Spicer’s musical influences include the 1983 track “Money (Dolla Bill Y’all),” which has been used in a number of popular songs, but was most notably interpolated in the Wu Tang Clan song “C.R.E.A.M.”