"Genius rapper"-called American rising rapper Luci4 (real name James Dear)'s tragic cause of death was revealed belatedly.
On the 21st (local time), People reported that the Los Angeles County coroner's office has concluded the cause of Luci4's death in February was "accidental death due to fentanyl toxicity." The fact that the opioid painkiller fentanyl was behind the death of someone who died at the far too young age of 23 adds to the sorrow.
Earlier, Luci4 was found dead on Feb. 22 at a friend's house in Los Angeles. When firefighters arrived at the scene, he was already reported to be deceased.
His manager Kayla G officially confirmed his death on social media, writing, "James (Luci4) was a true leader and a king, and a musical genius," and adding an affectionate tribute, "There was no one like him and there never will be."
Luci4 was a leading figure in the "sigilkore" scene, a subgenre of trap music. In particular, his song "Bodypartz" went viral on social media like TikTok and gained global popularity, leading to a contract with major label Atlantic Records and raising his profile even among K-pop fans. The song also proved his musical prowess by receiving RIAA gold certification in 2024 from the Recording Industry Association of America.
As the late artist was building his own distinctive musical world with his final album released in 2025, "Vampmania 3," this news is all the more numbing.
[Photo] Luci4 SNS
[OSEN]