The first female rapper to sign with Def Jam, Lichelle Laws, popularly known as Bo$$ has passed away after battling with kidney failure.
According to reports, the I Don’t Give A F**k hitmaker passed away on March 11, 2024 at age 54.
“We are deeply saddened by the passing of Lichelle Marie Laws, also known as Bo$$,” the statement read. “Bo$$ will be remembered as a pioneer in hip hop, being one of the first female rappers signed to Def Jam in the early 1990’s. We extend our prayers and condolences to her family and loved ones during this difficult time,” a statement from the record label posted on social media said.
Full information surrounding her death is not immediately known but Billboard says
Additional information regarding her death was not made public, but according to Billboard, the veteran female rapper has been battling a few health issues over the years, including kidney failure and a stroke in 2017.
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Laws was born and raised in Detroit, but in the early 1990s, he rose to fame as a participant in the emerging West Coast gangster rap movement. She relocated to New York City to start a rap career. But she chose to move to Los Angeles after failing to make any progress in the city, which gave rise to rap.
After moving to Los Angeles, Laws struggled to make ends meet until she met DJ Quik, a legendary West Coast rapper. Laws was trained by Quik, who also introduced her to a number of rappers with whom she would eventually work, including AMG, who featured her on a song from his first album.
A stand for “Bi—es On Some Sh—,” Laws and her DJ, Irene “Dee” Moore, became the combo known as BO$$. In May 1993, Born Gangstaz, their debut album, was released and about 400,000 copies were sold. Jam Master Jay and Erick Sermon, two of Def Jam’s biggest producers, contributed to its production.