Rock ‘n Rock pioneer Little Richard has passed away at 87 years old. Sometimes referred to as the “The Innovator, The Originator, and The Architect of Rock and Roll”, Richard brought popularity to black music and became one of the first crossover artists. His songs “Tutti Frutti” and “Long Tall Sally” influenced generations of singers and musicians of all genres.
His flamboyant style and persona alluded to his queerness even though the singer struggled to reconcile his sexuality with religion throughout his life. In his later years, he rededicated his life to Christianity and denounced homosexuality, referring to it as ‘unnatural.’
His son, Danny Jones Penniman confirmed the performer’s death in a statement. His cause of death was related to bone cancer, according to his brother.
Uptown Records founder and music icon, Andre Harrell also passed away. He died of heart failure at 59 years old.
Harrell is known for his influence in the music industry, particularly for founding Uptown Records in the late 1980s. He “discovered” and elevated acts including Mary J. Blige and launched the career of Diddy. The New York native was instrumental in the R&B and Hip-Hop movement of the ’90s.
