CNN is reporting that Chris Kelly, left, of the rap duo Kris Kross has died at age 34 of a drug overdose.
Kelly was found unresponsive at his Atlanta home Wednesday. He was pronounced dead around 5 p.m. at Atlanta Medical Center. Kelly’s death is being investigated as a drug overdose, Fulton County police Cpl. Kay Lester told The Atlanta Journal Constitution.
The Fulton County Medical Examiner’s Office will conduct an autopsy to determine the cause of death on Thursday.
Kelly, also known as Mac Daddy, along with Chris “Daddy Mac” Smith, also 34, (pictured above right) formed the successful kiddie rap group Kris Kross in 1992 at age 13. The group rocketed to fame with hit records “Jump” and “Warm It Up”, off their debut album, Totally Krossed Out.
Kris Kross popularized the short-lived fad of wearing their jeans and jerseys turned backwards.
Former So So Def Records label mate Da Brat tweeted: “REST IN PEACE TO MY LIL BRO CHRIS KELLY OF KRIS KROSS. Dam wasn’t we JUST at rehearsal and doin a So So Def20 show?”
Kelly was plagued by death rumors throughout the 1990s. The rumors were revived in 2009 when photos surfaced on the Internet of Smith who had bald spots in his hair.
“My health is good… I just got Alopecia… I don’t have cancer,” Smith said in an exclusive video interview with StraightfromtheA.com.
Watch the video below.
Photo: Chris Mitchell
