Shaun Shiller Fequiere, better known as the rapper Kangol Kid with the hip-hop group UTFO, died on Sunday at age 55 after a 10-month battle with colon cancer.
The artist’s publicist of more than 20 years, Lion Lindwedel, confirmed the news of his death to Fox News Digital.
“Kangol was one of the founding members of the rap group UTFO, Made popular by the mid-80s hit ‘Roxanne, Roxanne’. Kangol is survived by his parents Andre and Jean Fequiere, three Brothers Andy Joel and Alex, three sons T.Shaun, Andre, and Giovanni, and one daughter Amancia,” Lindwedel wrote in a statement to Fox News Digital.
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Rapper Kangol Kid died in December. (Paras Griffin/Getty Images for Screen Gems)
The publicist continued: “Hip-hop’s first teen heartthrob, was born and raised in Brooklyn New York and began his career with his dancing partner of many years Dr. Ice, known then as the ‘keystone dancers,’ and began touring the world as the first dancers for a rap group, Whodini, the first of many firsts, including the first Haitian rapper, and the first rap group to have a crossover R&B ballad with the song ‘fairytale lover’ from their first album. Later they joined forces with the educator Rapper, and DJ Mix Master Ice to form the group UTFO. Kangol’s passing leaves fans heartbroken, worldwide.”
Rapper Kangol Kid died after a 10-month battle with colon cancer. (Bennett Raglin/Getty Images for BET)
Known for always sporting the popular Kangol headwear, The New York Post notes that the artist dedicated himself to raising awareness for cancer research both before and after his own diagnosis through the Mama Luke Foundation. In 2012, he was honored by the American Cancer Society for his efforts to raise awareness.
In David Toop’s 1985 book “The Rap Attack” about the history of the genre, Kangol Kid explained how he came up with the lyrical innovation of Z-Rap.
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Rapper Kangol Kid died at age 55. (Jim Spellman/WireImage)
“It’d be like a code language. I would talk to him and his name’s Doctor Ice. I would say, ‘Dizoctor Izice. Yizo hizo bizoy wizon’t youza kizoy mesover herezere?’ — that’s just saying, ‘Yo, homeboy, why don’t you come over here?’ and what I did is make a rap out of that language,” he explained in the book (via The New York Times).
The lyrical style was adopted in later years by artists like E-40, Snoop Dogg and more.
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After the heyday of UTFO, Kangol Kid kept busy as a producer for artists like the group Whistle and the baseball star Darryl Strawberry, who recorded a novelty rap song, “Chocolate Strawberry.” The outlet also reports that he did voice-over work and wrote a music-industry advice column.
