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Hip-hop group Dem Franchize Boyz confirmed in a heartbreaking post on Instagram over the weekend that founding member Buddie passed away from cancer over the weekend.
“R.I.P. Buddie you Will be Missed #demfranchizeboyz,” the group wrote, of their bandmate, who was born Gerald Tiller, providing no additional details about Buddie’s passing, TMZ reports.
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Producer Jermaine Dupri, however, appeared to be the first to reveal the cause of death with an Instagram post of his own along with Buddie’s verse on “Lean wit It, Rock wit It,” writing: “‘They call me Doctor Doc I prescribe what a n**** need’ #ripbuddy may your soul rest easy #demfranchiseboyz #f***cancer.”
Rapper Da Brat also posted a number of photos of Buddie to her Instagram page, along with the caption: #RIPBUDDY #demfranchizboys’ and a middle finger emoji next to the word cancer.
Dupri signed Dem Franchize Boyz to his So So Def label in 2005. The group had four members: Parlae (Maurice Gleaton), Pimpin’ (Jamal Willingham), Jizzal Man (Bernard Leverette), in addition to Buddie. The group is best known for its two hits, “Lean wit It, Rock Wit It” and “I Think They Like Me,” which appeared on their debut album, On Top of Our Game. They also collaborated with the rock group Korn for a mashup of “Lean Wit It, Rock Wit It” and “Coming Undone” which was dubbed “Come Undone Wit It.”
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DFB’s third and final album, Our World, Our Way, was released through Koch Record in 2008.
The also was in the news with several instances of drama over the years, with Pimpin’ being arrested for a DUI in October 2007. Parlae was arrested a year prior after a raid produced drugs, weapons and money, per Daily Mail. The charges were dropped, but he was also suspected in the murder of Kenneth Kamp in 2006.
Kamp’s murder case was ultimately dismissed on a technicality.
Parlae reacted to news of Buddie’s death via Instagram, sharing a photo of the rapper along with the caption, “#RestEasyBuddie aka WeeFli #DemFranchizeBoyz #DFB #DemFranchiseBoys.”
It is unclear what form of cancer Buddie died from.