Today in Hip-Hop: R.I.P. Marlon Brando of Sporty Thievz (1979 – May 11, 2001)

On this day, May 11, in hip-hop history...

2001: On May, 11, 2001, Marlon Brando, a member of Yonkers hip-hop group Sporty Thievz, died when he was struck by a car in the Bronx.

Made up of Marlon Brando, King Kirk and Big Dubez, Sporty Thievz came onto the New York hip-hop scene in 1997 and were known for having satirical, joking personas. Sporty Thievz first big look came when they released a parody of the TLC song "No Scrubs" entitled "No Pigeons," to tell the story of the song from the male point of view. The single would become a Billboard top ten hit and sell over 500,000 copies. "No Pigeons" is hailed as one of the funniest hip-hop songs in history.

According to reports from Sporty Thievz' DJ Gehai, Brando was struck by a minivan after walking out of a deli in the early hours of the morning. The minivan reportedly ran a red light, jumped a curb and fatally slammed into him. He was 22 years old.

Brando's legacy continues to live on through his music.  With King Kirk and Big Dubez, the Sporty Thievz crew released their debut LP, Street Cinema in 1998 which featured singles "Cheapskate (You Ain't Gettin' Nada)" and of course, "No Pigeons." R.I.P. Marlon Brando. Gone but not forgotten.

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