Legendary Hip-Hop DJ Mister Cee Dies At 57

DJ Mister Cee performs at It’s Time For Hip Hop In NYC: Brooklyn at Brooklyn Army Terminal on August 19, 2021, in New York, New York. | Source: Jason Mendez / Getty

Mister Cee, the legendary hip-hop DJ who rose to fame spinning records for fellow rap icon Big Daddy Kane and went on to achieve success as a radio disc jockey, has died. He was 57.

No date or cause of death was immediately reported.

Mister Cee dies

“We have lost the iconic Mister Cee,” Peter Rosenberg, who worked with Mister Cee at New York City radio station Hot 97, confirmed in a post on X, formerly Twitter. “I listened to him yesterday and am in complete shock. He was a dear friend to all of us, a wonderful man, and one of the most important and impactful DJs of all time. I love you Cee.”

Hot 97 eulogized Mister Cee in a statement:

As a family at HOT 97 and WBLS, we’re deeply saddened by the passing of our beloved Mister Cee. He wasn’t just a DJ; he was a pillar of our stations, bringing joy to countless listeners with his legendary Throwback at Noon and Friday Night Live sets.

Mr. Cee’s influence stretched far beyond the airwaves, shaping the very fabric of NYC’s DJ culture. Our hearts are heavy as we send our love and condolences to his family and the fans whose lives he touched through his music.

Rest easy, Mr. Cee. Your legacy will live forever.

Skip Dillard, the brand manager at the radio station where Mister Cee most recently had a show, also confirmed the DJ’s death in a LinkedIn post.

“Sometimes you’re only here for what seems like a short time. But when you make the most of it, life is truly something out of this world! #DJMisterCee did just that,” Dillard wrote. “He has passed away, but leaves a legacy none of us privileged to have worked with him will EVER forget. Rest in peace my friend. We’ll be there for your family and millions of fans…”

Who was DJ Mister Cee?

The loss of the man born Calvin LeBrun is a heavy one for Hip-Hop culture.

Born in New York City’s Bedford–Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn, Mister Cee rose to fame in the late ’80s as DJ for rising star rapper Big Daddy Kane, whom he met while in high school. As part of the Juice Crew, Mister Cee was first featured on Big Daddy Kane’s seminal debut album, Long Live The Kane, including on a song called “Mister Cee’s Master Plan” both of which showcased the DJ’s expert cutting and scratching prowess.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Big Daddy Kane (@officialbigdaddykane)

But perhaps even more notable is that Mister Cee is credited with discovering the late, great rapper the Notorious B.I.G. Miter Cee was among the first to co-sign the then-local rap phenom before the rapper more commonly known ads Biggie appeared in The Source magazine’s Unsigned Hype section that placed a spotlight on up-and-coming talent.

Later in his career, Mister Cee would shine on the radio at New York City Hip-Hop station Hot 97, where he was nicknamed The Finisher, and thrived providing music for the party scene.

Most recently, Mister Cee could be heard on 94.7 The Block and Rock The Bells radio on SiriusXM.

Mister Cee’s controversies

Controversy in Mister Cee’s personal life would ensue after multiple arrests for soliciting trans prostitutes, beginning in 2011. Although he denied being gay, Mister Cee did admit to having an affinity for seeking oral sex from trans women.

Mister Cee was forced to step away from working at Hot 97 in 2013 because of the immediate public backlash. He openly contemplated suicide on Twitter in the wake of his abrupt — and short-lived — resignation.

In a pair of since-deleted tweets, Mister Cee wrote at the time:

I let everyone down I have issues please don’t give up on me. I need help, just can’t deal right now. Maybe better off dead.

And:

I announced my resignation today from the job I loved to do at Hot 97 , please understand i never intended to let NY/NJ/CT all my fans down.

Mister Cee later opened up about his experience being blacklisted by the hip-hop world that he helped curate. He said promoters stopped booking him after he got arrested, prompting him to reach out to fellow Brooklyn rap legend Jay-Z for financial help — something that he said Hov was eager to do.

Mister Cee, the legendary DJ & radio personality

He was arrested for soliciting sex from a trans sex worker. Many people in the industry turned their back on Cee, causing him to endure financial hardships.

Hov helped him out. pic.twitter.com/1BX4DPJXtm

— Hov (@HoviBear) December 4, 2022

Mister Cee officially returned as a Hot 97 employee in 2013, two days after he resigned and one day after he visited the radio station and was interviewed about his lifestyle after video footage showed the DJ in a car with a trans woman.

He said during that interview that he had “been in denial about this for a very long time” and that “it did take a video for me to say this” and speak his truth.

“I am tired of trying to do something or be something that I’m not,” Mister Cee said. “I’m tired.”

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