Duck Down Music Starts Fundraiser in Honor of the Late Sean Price

Hip-hop took a hit this weekend when news of rapper Sean Price's passing broke. The 43-year-old MC, also known as Ruck, passed away in his sleep, according to a press release from his publicist. Several artists took to social media to offer their condolences, with the industry seemingly coming together via the web to remember the influential Brooklyn rapper. Now, record label Duck Down Music has started a crowd fundraiser in honor of Ruck. The fund's goal is to raise $50,000 for Price's family. At press time, $11, 659 was raised thus far. Read Duck Down's message below.

It is with beyond a heavy heart that Duck Down Music is sadly confirming that Sean Price passed away in his Brooklyn apartment, Saturday, August 8th, 2015. The cause of death is currently unknown, but it was reported that he died in his sleep. He’s survived by his wife, and his three children. Sean Price, who turned 43 in March of this year, was a beloved rap artist. He was 1/2 of the group Heltah Skeltah, a key member of the Boot Camp Clik, 1/3 of the group Random Axe and a successful solo artist, known simply as Sean Price. Funds are being raised to direclty assist Sean Price's family moving forward.

Price was one half of the group Heltah Skeltah along with Jahmal “Rock” Bush back in the '90s. They later joined Boot Camp Clik, with Buckshot, Smif-N-Wessun and Originoo Gun Clappas. He later joined rap group Random Axe alongside Black Milk and Guilty Simpson. Over the years, Price dropped four solo studio albums and a number of collaborative LPs, as well as a few mixtapes.  At the time of his passing, Sean was working on a Skeltah comeback album and a new mixtape entitled Songs in the Key of Price, due out later this month.

A day Price passedgraffiti artist and former 5 Pointz curator Meres One created a mural of Price on a street corner in Crown Heights. Meres said, "All of his label would come to 5 Pointz...I had this wall for a year and I wanted to do a portrait, I just didn't know who. It just was a perfect fit, one of the illest out of Brooklyn." Peep the photos here.

An previously unreleased freestyle cypher filmed 2 years ago during a special “Tragedy Khadafi and Friends Boiler Room” session has hit the web. Underground legends, including Sean p, pass the mic around at the Goblins Social Club. P told the promoter, “Once I hear Large Professor throw something on crazy I’ll come out and freestyle”. Check the clip below.