Oakland star Saafir has died at 54.
The veteran West Coast rapper — real name Reggie Gibson — passed away at 8:45 a.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 19, according to his former Golden State Project groupmate Xzibit, who broke the news to fans.
“I can’t believe I’m writing this right now, but don’t know what else to do at the moment,” Xzibit, 50, wrote in his tribute post on Instagram.
Calling Saafir his “brother,” the rapper struggled to express his words.
“We have so much history I can’t even explain what I’m feeling right now,” Xzibit continued. “We surrounded him and let him know how much we loved him. He can rest now.”
The “My Name” rapper asked “everyone that rocked with us from the Hip Hop community” to be solid and reach out to Saafir’s younger brother and son.
“The family really needs to be supported during this time,” Xzibit added. “That’s all I have right now. My soul is crushed.”
Ending his heartfelt post, he wrote, “We love you Bro. REST IN POWER.”
Saafir’s cause of death has not been revealed, but he suffered a series of health problems over the years. The rapper had a cancerous tumor removed from his spine and began using a wheelchair, according to TMZ.
Sources also told the outlet that Saafir died in his hometown of Oakland, Calif.
Golden State Project was a rap trio with Xzibit, Saafir and Ras Kass. The group was originally going to be called The Golden State Warriors but allegedly got a cease and desist letter from the NBA team of the same name, which put a kibosh on their plans.
Saafir was also part of Digital Underground, a rap group formed in 1987 with talent like Tupac Shakur and Shock G, per People.
Saafir wasn’t just a rapper. He also appeared in the 1993 blockbuster “Menace II Society.” He played Harold Lawson alongside Jada Pinkett Smith, Samuel L. Jackson and Larenz Tate.
Saafir was also featured on the film’s soundtrack.
One year later, he earned a major record deal with the late Quincy Jones — who passed away earlier this month at 91 — and released his debut album, “Boxcar Sessions.”
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