Celebrities mourn the death of musician Casey Benjamin, Robert Glasper Experiment band member
The talented saxophone player's death was confirmed by his management team on Monday.
Casey Benjamin, a celebrated musician and member of the acclaimed Robert Glasper Experiment, has died at 45.
His management team officially confirmed Benjamin’s death to the HuffPost on Monday after reports surfaced Sunday via a series of posts from friends and bandmates honoring the multi-instrumentalist. Questlove and Lala Hathaway were among those paying tribute to him.
Derrick Hodge, one of the members of Glasper’s hip-hop jazz collective, penned an emotional message to Benjamin on Instagram.
“Tonight, I honor a brother,” Hodge wrote. “A true brother and friend. Casey Benjamin, thank you for inspiring me, for being a light in my life, and for your unbelievable influence on the music world.”
“We have been deeply touched by the outpouring of love and support from family, friends, and Casey’s esteemed music community,” a spokesperson for his family said in a statement, HuffPost reported. “Casey stayed true to the art of his music, and the energy of his spirit will live on in eternity.”
Benjamin was a talented saxophonist who won two Grammy Awards with the Robert Glasper Experiment. His creative talents extended beyond the sax; he also played vocoder in the band. In 2013, the music collective won the Grammy for best R&B album for “Black Radio.” Then, in 2015, the group won for best traditional R&B performance for their single, “Jesus Children.”
Throughout his musical career, Benjamin shared his artistic skills with some of the industry’s biggest names. Beyoncé, Solange, Mary J. Blige, Erykah Badu, Kendrick Lamar, John Legend and other heavy hitters are on his high-profile roster of collaborations. He and singer Nicky Guiland also paired up creatively to form the funk duo HEAVy.
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Lupe Fiasco, the Grammy-winning rapper and producer, featured Benjamin’s sax skills on his 2012 record, “Strange Fruition.” Fiasco shared his own regrets at the sad news.
“Rest In Peace Casey Benjamin,” Fiasco began on Instagram. “I can’t even begin to express the deep gratitude and respect. My deepest condolences to the family, fans and friends.”
At this time, according to reports, Benjamin’s cause of death is unknown.
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