2 Live Crew founding member Fresh Kid Ice dead at 53
By Peter Sblendorio (New York Daily News)
Fresh Kid Ice, a founding member of the rap troupe 2 Live Crew who was widely regarded as one of the first major Asian rappers in America, has died, according to colleagues and news sources.
He was 53.
The rapper, whose real name was Christopher Wong Won, died in a Miami hospital Thursday after suffering an undisclosed medical condition, TMZ reported, citing his manager.
A slew of rappers took to social media Thursday morning to mourn the rapper's death.
"My Condolence goes out to the family Chris Wong Wong Fresh Kid Ice of the 2 Live Crew who just passed away people we lost a legend," tweeted his former 2 Live Crew mate Uncle Luke.
Rick Ross paid tribute to the artist as well with a tweet.
"Dam! Just got call we lost 2 Live crew legend Fresh Kid Ice this morning! RIP," he wrote.
Fresh Kid Ice and the 2 Live Crew burst into the Miami hip hop scene in the mid-1980s and quickly polarized listeners by taking sexually graphic rap lyrics to another level.
The group, which Fresh Kid Ice formed with fellow artists Mr. Mixx and Amazing Vee, churned out explicit hits including "Me So Horny" and "Throw the D."
Their most popular album, "As Nasty As They Wanna Be," was particularly polarizing and, a year after its 1989 release, became the first album to ever be deemed legally obscene by the United States government.
Fresh Kid Ice was the only 2 Live Crew member to appear on every one of the group's albums. He later formed his own record label called Chinaman Records.
