ICONIC New York DJ Mister Cee has died at age 57.
The Brooklyn-born DJ, real name Calvin LeBrun, was a staple in the hip-hop world, working with rap icons like Big Daddy Kane and the Notorious BIG, as known as Biggie Smalls.
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Hot 97, the radio station where LeBrun hosted the Throwback at Noon program in New York City, announced his death on Tuesday.
“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.”
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Fellow DJ Peter Rosenberg mourned LeBrun’s passing in an X, formerly Twitter, post, “We have lost the iconic Mister Cee.
“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.”
Rap legend MC Lyte mourned LeBrun’s death, writing, “I’m heartbroken. Wasn’t expecting this at all.
“God bless his soul. Mister Cee Rest in power & peace!”
BROOKLYN BORN AND RAISED
LeBrun was born on August 17, 1966, in Brooklyn’s rugged Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood.
He attended high school with fellow rap icon Antonio Hardy, better known as Big Daddy Kane.
Together, the rap duo worked on Big Daddy Kane’s debut album, Long Live the Kane, in 1988.
Kane’s raw style, mixed with his fast rhyming, helped catapult the duo to the top of the rap world.
His work on Kane’s album played a huge role in LeBrun’s partnership and eventually success on Biggie Smalls’ 1994 debut album, Ready to Die.
LeBrun recalled his first encounter with Biggie on Hot 97, “The first time I met him was when his DJ 50 Grand, rest in peace, brought Big to my house.
“The plan was we were going to redo the basement demo that he and 50 Grand put together. Big was very shy.
“He would always talk with his head down and say, ‘Yo man, don’t be promising me nothing, man. If you say you’re going to do something, do it.’
“And I’m like, ‘Nah, we’re going to redo the demo.'”
In 2014, he told XXL Magazine that if Biggie were still alive, he’d be proud of his accomplishments.
“If Biggie was alive and I still was doing tributes to him, he would probably be like, ‘Yo, man top that s**t, what the f**k are you doing.'” LeBrun told the magazine.
“He probably would want me to stop going so hard for him. As far as what I went through, the unfortunate circumstances that I went through, he would definitely be behind me but he would be clowning me all day.”
LeBrun also helped launch the careers of many legendary hip-hop musicians such as Jay Z, Alicia Keys, 50 Cent, and many others.
Years after his departure from Hot 97, LeBrun continued his career in radio on Radio 103.9 and Rock the Bells on SiriusXM.