Mister Cee—Who Discovered Biggie & DJ’ed For Big Daddy Kane—Has Died

Mister Cee, the pioneering DJ behind Big Daddy Kane’s 1988 debut and associate executive producer for The Notorious B.I.G’s Ready to Die, has died.

The news was announced by former Yo! MTV Raps co-host Ed Lover, who shared an Instagram video of himself in tears. He wrote in the caption, “My heart is broken! All that knew him loved him! Take the music to heaven and put the Wallop down! Rest in Peace @djmistercee.”

Several of Mister Cee’s Hip-Hop peers quickly hopped in the comment section to express their shock and sadness, including Kid Capri, Arrested Development’s Speech, General Steele, Statik Selektah, Jermaine Dupri, DJ Battlecat and former Source editor Kim Osorio.

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Hailing from Brooklyn, Mister Cee met Big Daddy Kane while attending high school and discovered Biggie in the early 1990s. He was also an on-air personality for New York’s RADIO 103.9.

Fellow New York City DJ Tony Neal also confirmed the news on Instagram, writing, “Been a hell of a week, fam … rest well, my friend, the legendary @djmistercee.”

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A post shared by DJ Tony Neal (@iamtonyneal)

Peter Rosenberg, an on-air personality for New York’s Hot 97, added, “We have lost the iconic Mister Cee. I listened to him yesterday and am in complete shock. He was a dear friend to all of us, a wonderful man, and one of the most important and impactful DJs of all time. I love you Cee.”

The condolences are currently pouring in on social media. A source tells AllHipHop there’s been no official cause of death yet, but he apparently passed in his sleep.