Three 6 Mafia is mourning the loss of one its own. Koopsta Knicca, a founding member of the Memphis rap group, has died of a stroke. He was 40 years old.
DJ Paul of Three Six Mafia released a statement to the Commercial Appeal, noting that “everyone who knew Koop knew he was very funny and the coolest guy ever. He will be missed. We made classics together that’ll live on.”
Juicy J shared some heartfelt words on Twitter. “R.I.P koopsta Knicca we made history! You will be missed #mafia4life prayers up for the family,” while Gangsta Boo posted a picture of the rapper and wrote, “Rest well Koopsta… it was one helluva journey.”
Born Robert Cooper Phillips, Koopsta Knicca was a member of Three Six Mafia from the early ’90s until 2000. His first solo album, Da Devil’s Playground: Underground Solo, was released in 1999. In recent years, he reunited with his former Three 6 Mafia members (sans Juicy J) to form Da Mafia 6ix, and had been working with DJ Paul on Devil’s Playground 2.
In December 2013, Three 6 Mafia lost another one of its members, Lord Infamous, who died from a heart attack at the age of 40.