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We Remember: James Brown’s Drummer John ‘Jabo’ Starks, Saxophonist Charles Neville, Texas Rapper Big T, Mississippi Rapper Lil Lonnie

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L-R: John "Jabo" Starks, Charles Neville, Big T, Lil Lonnie
L-R: John “Jabo” Starks, Charles Neville, Big T, Lil Lonnie

*The music world has lost several legendary and up-and-coming artists in recent days.

John “Jabo” Starks, the drummer who put his stamp on some of James Brown’s biggest hits, died on May 1 at his home in Mobile, Alabama, after battling leukemia and myelodysplastic syndromes, according to The New York Times. He was 79.

Working alongside Clyde “Funky Drummer” Stubblefield and on his own, Starks played on some of Brown’s most beloved hits during his run, including “Super Bad,” “Say It Loud — I’m Black and I’m Proud,” “Cold Sweat,” “Get Up (I Feel Like Being a) Sex Machine,” Talkin’ Loud and Saying Nothing” and “The Payback.” His work has been sampled by A Tribe Called Quest, LL Cool J, Kendrick Lamar and the Roots, among many others.

John Henry Starks was born in Jackson, Alabama, on Oct. 26, 1938, and fell in love with the drums after watching a marching band in a Mardi Gras parade in Alabama as a child. He taught himself to play on an improvised drum kit made up of a bass and snare drum tied to a chair and cymbals on a stand, but never took formal drum lessons, according to the Times. In addition, Starks performed on recordings by a wide variety of R&B, soul, blues and funk acts, including Bobby Blue Bland, B.B. King, Bobby Byrd and The JBs.

Years after leaving Brown, he and Stubblefield — who died in 2017 — played together in a duo called The Funkmasters, releasing music and instructional videos and appearing on the 2007 soundtrack to Superbad.

If the late #ClydeStubblefield was #JamesBrown gourmet dish, then #JohnJaboStarks was his meat & potatoes. The round the way meal. In the folklore of breakbeat ology, it was Clyde that was James’ prettiest rhythmaster. But Starks was his most effective drummer. It was the “Think (About It)” break that birthed New Jack Swing Culture, Bmore/Jersey House & 90s rnb. It was “Hot Pants (I’m Comin)” & “I Know You Got Soul” that really cultivated the classic east coast renaissance of 87-92. James’ most effective funk: “Soul Power” “Escapism” “Superbad” “The Payback” so many classics. His 8 on the floor style was so unique in his funk. A serious funk god. A unchampioned legend gave us new culture and a gift folks. Give the drummer some. John Jabo Starks R.I.P. #Jabo

A post shared by Questlove Gomez (@questlove) on

We’ve also lost New Orleans-born saxophone player Charles Neville, who once backed up B.B. King and later gained fame with the Neville Brothers band and their blend of funk, jazz and rhythm and blues. He was 79.

Neville’s death came on April 26, months after he disclosed he was fighting pancreatic cancer, and one day before the opening of his home town’s signature musical and cultural event, the annual New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. He was 79.

Singer-musician Aaron Neville posted a lengthy tribute to his brother on Facebook. “I know you have a spot in the heavenly band next to James Booker, James Black, Herbert Hardesty, Fats Domino, Johnny Adams all the jazz bebop players who you turned me on to,” Aaron Neville wrote. “Dizzy, Charlie Parker, Miles and the list goes on.”

Houston rapper Big T, best known for singing the hook on Lil’ Troy’s 1999 hit “Wanna Be a Baller,” died Monday (May 7) at the age of 52. His official cause of death is pending, but longtime friend Tony Williams, a rapper known as Tiger T, said he have had a heart attack. Born Terence Prejean, the rapper was also nicknamed the “Million Dollar Hook Man” and was frequently featured in releases by other musicians. He put out albums of his own, including “Million Dollar Hooks” in 2001. His sister, Ann Prejean, told The Associated Press on Tuesday that she and her brother were raised in a musical family with a father who was a drummer.

YouTube video

Rapper Lil Lonnie, whose real name is Lonnie Taylor, was fatally shot in his hometown of Jackson, Miss. on the night of April 29. He was 22.

Hours after posting a picture of himself on Instagram and Snapchat, the hip hop artist was shot multiple times while driving an SUV, before he lost control and crashed into a nearby home. There was a woman in the vehicle, but she was not injured.

Taylor graduated from Callaway High School in 2013 and attended Hinds Community College before transferring to Jackson State University. While studying mass communications at the university, he released the track “I’m the Type,” followed by two other successful tracks “Colors” and “Special.” “Colors” went viral in the summer of 2015 — and Billboard later premiered his single “Change Up” in May 2016 due to the initial track’s success. Police are actively searching for Lonnie’s killer but so far they have yet to find any suspects.

no going back….you know imma keep it coming.

A post shared by Lil Lonnie (@_lillonnie_) on

Sadly, shots were fired at a candlelight vigil for Lil Lonnie held on Thursday, May 3. Hundreds of people gathered for the memorial service in his Jackson hometown when gunfire rang out, sending people running for cover. No one was injured and a witnesses told a local news crew that he believed the gunman was simply shooting in the air.

“I don’t think they was shooting at nobody,” the witness and friend to Lonnie said. “I think they was just shooting in the air. Nevertheless, it was wrong.”

YouTube video

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