Ice-T has been reminiscing about the late, great Prodigy this week, paying homage to his “favorite MC” by sharing their last photo together.
The tribute arrived on Ice’s Instagram on Tuesday (October 24), just over a week ahead of what would have been the Mobb Deep rapper’s 49th birthday.
“Pic of me and @PRODIGYMOBBDEEP,” he began. “I’ve said many times that he was my Favorite MC/Rapper.. This was at a Concert we rocked in Vegas.. He passed away that same night.. [broken heart emoji] Life is fragile and precious. Appreciate every min.”
You can view the post below:
Prodigy was in Las Vegas on June 17, 2017 as part of The Art of Rap Tour alongside Ghostface Killah, Onyx, KRS-One and the festival’s founder, Ice-T. After Mobb Deep performed that Saturday night in extreme temperatures, he was taken to a local hospital where he ultimately died.
His team explained in a statement at the time” “It is with extreme sadness and disbelief that we confirm the death of our dear friend Albert Johnson, better known to millions of fans as Prodigy of legendary NY rap duo Mobb Deep.
“Prodigy was hospitalized a few days ago in Vegas after a Mobb Deep performance for complications caused by a sickle cell anemia crisis. As most of his fans know, Prodigy battled the disease since birth. The exact causes of death have yet to be determined. We would like to thank everyone for respecting the family’s privacy at this time.”
The Clark County Medical Examiner has determined Prodigy didn’t die from sickle cell anemia but rather an accidental choking. Prodigy was in a Las Vegas hospital when he reportedly choked on an egg. He was being treated for a sickle cell flare-up after performing in the sweltering Nevada heat.
JAY-Z’s ‘U Don’t Know’ Was Originally For Busta Rhymes & Prodigy, Says Just Blaze
The Hip Hop luminary was 42 at the time of his death. His funeral service was held nine days later in New York City and attended by fellow Mobb Deep member Havoc, LL COOL J, Ice-T, 50 Cent, Questlove, Remy Ma, Fat Joe and many more.
In 2022, just after the fifth anniversary of his passing, longtime collaborator The Alchemist promised to continue pushing Prodigy’s legacy forward.
“Missing my brother P,” he wrote in a tweet. “I got you i promise don’t worry ! The legacy will continue.”
