American Rapper, Brother Marquis Dies at 58

Brother Marquis, the influential rapper and member of the Miami-based hip-hop group 2 Live Crew, has passed away. The announcement was made on 2 Live Crew’s social media accounts on Monday night, though the posts did not disclose the cause or location of his death.

Brother Marquis, born Mark Ross in Rochester, New York, joined 2 Live Crew in 1984 after the group relocated from California to Miami.

He replaced a departing member and became an integral part of the group’s most iconic lineup, which included Christopher Wong Won (Fresh Kid Ice), the group’s leader Luther Campbell (Luke Skyywalker), and David Hobbs (Mr. Mixx).

2 Live Crew is renowned for its sexually explicit lyrics, which sparked significant debates about race and artistic freedom during the 1980s and 1990s. The group’s provocative content led to numerous legal battles and contributed to important discussions around censorship and the First Amendment in the United States.