Lola Mitchell, a pioneering rapper and former member of the group Three 6 Mafia, has died at the age of 43.
The musician – known by the stage name Gangsta Boo – recorded her first song with Three 6 Mafia, Cheefa Da Reefa, when she was 14. She officially joined the group a year later, in 1994.
She went on to become an influential member of the Memphis rap scene, recording with up-and-coming artists and stars alike after she left Three 6 Mafia in the early 2000s.
Over the course of her career, Gangsta Boo worked with iconic rappers including Lil Jon, T.I., Killer Mike and Gucci Mane, as well as featuring on a recent track by Latto that premiered just weeks ago.
“I would honestly say that I have to admit, respectfully and humbly, that I am the blueprint,” she told Billboard in December.
“I hear my cadence in a lot of men and female rappers. … I used to run away from it. I used to didn’t want to even give myself flowers because I’ve been so low-key and humble. It’s time to claim what’s mine.”
DJ Paul, a founding member of Three 6 Mafia, posted a tribute to Gangsta Boo on Instagram, sharing that he was struggling to process the news.
Recent collaborator Latto also tweeted a string of broken heart emojis shortly after Gangsta Boo’s death was announced.
TMZ was the first to report that the musician had died on Sunday night. Her cause of death is not yet known at the time of writing.
