Grammy-nominated rap producer John Forté was found dead at his home in Chilmark, Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, on Monday, January 12. He was 50.
Forté was found unresponsive on his kitchen floor by a neighbor who called 911.
Police confirmed there were no signs of foul play in Forté’s sudden death.
Tributes poured in on social media from artists he collaborated with including the Fugees, Wyclef Jean, Refugee Camp All-Stars, and more.
Forté was born in Brooklyn, New York City on January 30, 1975. He grew up in a privileged home with financial stability. He studied violin and classical music at the prestigious Phillips Exeter Academy, a college prep school in New Hampshire.
After graduating in 1993, Forté returned to New York City, where he roomed with rapper Talib Kweli after enrolling in NYU as a music business major.
His big break came when he was introduced to The Fugees by Lauryn Hill in the early 1990s. He co-wrote and produced several songs on their multi-platinum and Grammy-winning 1996 album, The Score.
He was nominated for a Grammy for his work on the album. He went on to tour with The Fugees, and contributed vocals to Wyclef Jean Presents The Carnival in 1997.
Forté released his debut solo album, Poly Sci, which was produced by Wyclef Jean in 1998.
In 2000, Forté was arrested at Newark International Airport on drug possession and trafficking charges. He was sentenced to 14 years at FCI Loretto, a low-security federal prison in central Pennsylvania.
Forté’s privileged education at Exeter enabled him to meet legendary singer Carly Simon and her son Ben Taylor. They met through Taylor’s cousin, who was a classmate of Forté’s at Exeter.
Carly and Ben advocated for Forté and fought for an appeal of the mandatory minimum drug laws that put him in prison.
Forté said Carly Simon was “my champion, my crusader, my mentor, my friend, my spiritual godmother.”
With the help of Senator Orrin Hatch, Forté’s prison sentence was commuted by President George W. Bush on November 24, 2008. He was released from prison on December 22, 2008.
Forté began teaching music at the City College of New York in 2009.
He went on to release more albums and collaborate with musicians. In 2012, he composed an anthem for the Brooklyn Nets, entitled “Brooklyn: Something to Lean On”.
He also appeared on an episode of “NY Ink” on January 2012, and composed the theme song for the CBS News television documentary series “Brooklyn DA.”
Forté is survived by his wife, freelance photographer Lara Fuller, and their 2 children.
