HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — The city’s rap community mourned Sunday after officials announced the death of rap legend “Big Pokey.”
Eyewitness News confirmed with Justice of the Peace Tom Gillam III that “Big Pokey,” aka Milton Powell, has died in Beaumont, Texas.
The Sensei rapper reportedly collapsed at a bar in Beaumont after Saturday’s show, but the cause of death is unclear.
According to social media posts from Pour09 Bar & Rooftop, the rapper was scheduled to perform as a special guest during a Juneteenth celebration at the venue on Saturday.
Before Beaumont, Powell performed in his final performance in front of his beloved fans at Baytown’s Bicentennial Park on Saturday night.
ABC13 spoke to longtime fan Kendra Ouzenne, who attended the Baytown show.
“Poke was one of the most influential people of this sound, so it’s a sad and heavy loss for the Houston community. And for the music as a whole, too,” said Ouzenne.
Fellow Houston rapper Bun B posted the initial announcement of the death on Instagram with a sad caption:
“I wasn’t ready for that. One of the city’s naturally talented artists. Reserved, humble man who moved with honor and respect. He was easy to love and hard to hate. He would pull up, do what he had to do, and go home. One of the pillars of our city. If Heart of Gold were a human. Iconic member of the SUC. There will never be another and we will miss it dearly. We love and honor you, sensei. rest in heaven.”
Another Houston rap legend, Slim Thug, took to social media to say it was a “sad day in town” and said he sent “prayers to his family.”
“In the coming days we will be releasing information on how he celebrates life and how the public can pay his respects to him. We ask that you respect his family and their privacy at this difficult time. Big Pokey will forever be ‘the world’s hardest chasm trash!'” Powell’s team said in a statement to ABC13.
“Though many have labeled him ‘low-key,’ his presence has helped propel our hip-hop scene nationwide,” Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said in a tweet.
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