Saafir obit

Rapper Saafir Dead at 54

Saafir—the Oakland rapper born Reggie Gibson who released acclaimed albums like 1994's Boxcar Sessions and appeared in the 1993 film Menace II Society—died on Nov. 19. He was 54.  

He was not on the list.

The hip-hop world is mourning a tragic loss.

Saafir—an Oakland-based rapper known for his appearance in the 1993 film Menace II Society and for albums like 1994's Boxcar Sessions—died on Nov. 19, according to a statement from his longtime friend Xzibit. He was 54.

Saafir—born Reggie Gibson—passed away around 8:45 in the morning while surrounded by friends and family, per the "X" rapper.

"We have so much history I can’t even explain what I’m feeling right now," Xzibit wrote in his statement shared to Instagram Nov. 19. "We surrounded him and let him know how much we loved him. He can rest now."

And the Pimp My Ride alum expressed empathy for the hurt Saafir's family must be feeling, saying, "Friends, Family, everyone that rocked with us from the Hip Hop community, if you could be so solid and reach out for @chopblack his younger brother, and @lilsaafir his son, the family really needs to be supported during this time."

"My soul is crushed," he added. "We love you Bro."

Saafir started making waves in the early 1990s for his work with the hip-hop crews Hobo Junction and Digital Underground, which he joined alongside his former roommate, the late Tupac Shakur.

But his career really took off in 1993 when he scored a role in the cult classic film Menace II Society, which also starred Jada Pinket Smith and Samuel L. Jackson. The following year, he earned a major record deal with the late Quincy Jones and achieved critical acclaim with his debut album, Boxcar Sessions.

Saafir went on to drop a handful of follow-up records before largely stepping away from the public eye due to ongoing health complications, including a cancerous tumor in his spinal cord that required multiple surgeries and left him unable to walk.

"I had to have the surgery to get the tumor out," the "Can-U-Feel-Me?" rapper told the San Francisco Bay Guardian in 2013. "The doctor told me that if I didn’t take it out, by the time I was in my later 40s I would probably be paralyzed. And it’s ironic because I did the surgery and I’m still kinda in that situation."

And though his challenging health journey may have removed himself from the spotlight, Saafir—who released his last album, Gold Blooded, Vol. 3, in 2020—continued to focus on his craft.

"I’m definitely writing about my experience, how I’m dealing with it and going through it," he said. "A lot of people look at my s--t from the ’90s and think I’m going to do the exact same s--t now and that’s just not reality. I’ve evolved as a person."

Saafir is survived by his son, the rapper known as Lil Saafir, and his brother, the MC known as Chop Black.  

He was also a member of the rap group Golden State Project (formerly known as Golden State Warriors) with Ras Kass and Xzibit.

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