Southern hip-hop pioneer and former Three 6 Mafia member Gangsta Boo found dead at age 43

Southern rapper and former Three 6 Mafia member Gangsta Boo was found dead in her Memphis home on the afternoon of New Year’s Day. The shocking news was first announced by Fox 13 Memphis and later confirmed in an Instagram post by Three 6 Mafia’s DJ Paul. The cause of death has not been revealed, but TMZ reports that her passing “appears to be drug-related” and police are launching an official investigation. She was 43 years old.

On New Year’s Eve, less than 24 hours before she died, Boo had posted a performance video on Instagram, writing: “Some of the things that I did in 2022! So fun and productive, climbed out my shell alot!! 2023 go be 23’n! #JORDAN #BOOPRINT #recap Happy New 2023 everyone!” In an interview with Billboard that ran just last month, Boo revealed that she was working on a new project, The BooPrint, which she hoped to release in early 2023.

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A post shared by Thee Gangsta Boo (@missyeahoe)

Born Lola Mitchell in 1979, Gangsta Boo grew up in the Orange Mound neighborhood of Memphis, where she was exposed to a variety of musical styles including gospel, blues, and rap. She began rapping at an early age, and by the time she was a teenager, she had already made a name for herself on the local hip hop scene.

In the mid-1990s, Gangsta Boo joined forces with the rap group Three 6 Mafia, which was led by the producers DJ Paul and Juicy J. The group quickly gained a devoted following with their distinctive blend of horrorcore and crunk, and Gangsta Boo became a key member of the crew, contributing her fierce, no-nonsense rhymes to a number of their most popular tracks.

Over the years, Gangsta Boo has released a number of solo albums, including “Enquiring Minds” (1998), “Both Worlds *69” (1999), and “Enquirer” (2000). These albums showcase her versatility as an artist, as she moves effortlessly between rap, R&B, and pop styles. Her lyrics are often frank and explicit, dealing with themes of sex, violence, and the struggles of life in the ghetto.

Despite her controversial subject matter, Gangsta Boo has always been respected in the hip hop community for her talent and her willingness to speak her mind. She has been nominated for numerous awards, and has collaborated with some of the biggest names in the business, including Lil Kim, OutKast, and Missy Elliott.