Kris Kross rapper Chris Kelly died last night at the age of 34 from an apparent drug overdose. Celebrities have reacted to the news with a mix of sadness, shock and disbelief. Jermaine Dupri, the music producer who discovered Kris Kross in an Atlanta shopping mall before their rise to fame said, “To the world Chris was MacDaddy but to me, he was a son I never had.”
Dupri added, “As much as you may think I taught him, he taught me. God has blessed me to be in the presence of so many naturally talented people and Chris was one. His understanding of what we set out to do, from day one was always on point. His passion for music, his love for doing shows, his want to be better than everyone else was always turned up. When I think about it I spent more time with Chris and Chris [Smith] than damn near anybody in my whole life, so you can imagine how bad this hurts. I will always love you Chris, and I will never let the world forget you, may God bless you.”
Chris Smith, the surviving half of Kris Kross is in mourning. “Chris Kelly was my Best Friend,” the rapper wrote in a statement. “He was like a brother. I love him and will miss him dearly.
“Our friendship began as little boys in first grade. We grew up together. It was a blessing to achieve the success, travel the world and entertain Kris Kross fans all around the world with my best friend,” he added. “It is what we wanted to do and what brought us happiness. I will always cherish the memories of the C-Connection.” Smith concluded by simply writing, “KRIS KROSS FOREVER, the ‘MAC DADDY’ and ‘DADDY MAC.'”
Lil Jon has also spoken up: “We actually all performed on the same stage about a month or two ago. Jermaine Dupri had his 20th anniversary for So So Def and they opened up the show. It was good to see Kris Kross together doing their thing after so long. It’s a shock that this happened today.”
Here are some Tweets from other celebrities reacting to Chris Kelly’s death:
Big Boi: “R.I.P. Chris Kelly.”
Da Brat: “THEY R WHY I’M ME Kris Kross RIP Chris”
Nicki Minaj: “So sorry to hear that. Sending love to his family. RIP Chris.”
Ludacris: “One of motivations as a kid to even get into the rap game. You will be missed. R.I.P Chris Kelly”
LL Cool J: “R.I.P. Chris Kelly. This song [“Jump”] is now officially dedicated to you. May GOD embrace your soul & lift up your family.”
Monica: “RIP Chris Kelly…May the peace of God comfort your family & all of those who love u”
Keri Hilson: “Rest in Peace, Chris Kelly. Kris Kross lives forever. Thank you for the memories.”
Vanilla Ice: “Today a hip-hop soldier has fallen, I will pay respect by wearing my clothes backwards.”
Mario Lopez: “RIP Chris Kelly.. Kris Kross an iconic one hit wonder rap artist from my childhood in the 90s… ‘Jump’ is still a tight jam.”
Chris’ mother, Donna Kelly, has issued a joint statement with the rapper’s former record label So So Def. “It is with deep sadness that we announce that our beloved Chris Kelly has passed away on May 1. To millions of fans worldwide, he was the trendsetting, backwards pants-wearing one-half of Kriss Kross who loved making music.
“But to us, he was just Chris – the kind generous and fun-loving life of the party. Though he was only with us a short time, we feel blessed to have been able to share some incredible moments with him.
“His legacy will live on through his music, and we will forever love him.”