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A Stroke That Led to His Demise
Koopsta Knicca, whose real name was Robert Cooper Phillips, was a rapper and a founding member of the Memphis rap group Three 6 Mafia. He died on October 9, 2015, at the age of 40, after suffering a stroke that left him on life support for several days. According to Rolling Stone, he passed away peacefully at an area hospital in Memphis. His death was confirmed by his fellow Three 6 Mafia member DJ Paul, who said in a statement that Phillips “went in peace” and that he was “very funny and the coolest guy ever”.
A Prolific Career With Three 6 Mafia and Beyond
Phillips joined Three 6 Mafia in 1991, along with DJ Paul, Juicy J, Lord Infamous, Crunchy Black and Gangsta Boo. He was featured on all the group’s albums from 1994’s Smoked Out, Loced Out to 2000’s When the Smoke Clears: Sixty 6, Sixty 1. The group won an Academy Award for Best Original Song in 2006 for their track “It’s Hard Out Here for a Pimp” from the film Hustle & Flow. Phillips left the group in 2000 due to legal troubles and pursued a solo career. He released several albums, including Da Devil’s Playground: Underground Tape (1994), Da K Project (2002), De Inevitable (2004) and The Mind of Robert Cooper (2005). He also collaborated with former Three 6 Mafia members Lord Infamous, DJ Paul, Crunchy Black and Gangsta Boo under the names Da Mafia 6ix and The Killjoy Club.
A Legacy That Lives On
Phillips was working on his latest solo album, Da Devil’s Playground 2, produced by DJ Paul, before his death. DJ Paul said that they had just started writing the album and had concerts planned for the following month. He also said that Phillips had just bought a home in Las Vegas that he never got to see in person. Phillips was the second Three 6 Mafia member to die prematurely in recent years, following Lord Infamous, who died of a heart attack in 2013 at the age of 40. Phillips’ fans and peers mourned his death and paid tribute to his contributions to the rap scene. Juicy J wrote on Instagram: “R.I.P koopsta Knicca we made history! You will be missed #mafia4life prayers up for the family.” Koopsta Knicca cause of death was a tragic loss for the hip-hop community, but his music and legacy will live on.
