John Forté, the Grammy-nominated rapper, producer and composer closely associated with the Fugees, was found dead Monday at his home in Chilmark on Martha’s Vineyard. He was 50. Authorities said there was no readily apparent cause of death and no evidence of foul play. A neighbor found Forté unresponsive in his kitchen shortly before 2:30 p.m., according to local reports. The Massachusetts medical examiner’s office is investigating the death.

Born Jan. 30, 1975, in Brooklyn’s Brownsville neighborhood, Forté rose from a challenging upbringing to become a key contributor to the Fugees’ landmark 1996 album The Score, which sold more than 22 million copies worldwide and earned Grammy recognition. A classically trained violin prodigy, he attended Phillips Exeter Academy on scholarship and later studied music business at New York University. Forté worked as an A&R executive before joining Lauryn Hill, Wyclef Jean and Pras Michel within the Refugee Camp collective at the height of the group’s success. In 1998, Forte would release his critically acclaimed debut album Poly Sci on Ruffhouse Records. 

Following news of his death, tributes poured in from across the music world. Lauryn Hill paid an emotional tribute on Instagram, calling the loss “surreal” and writing, “My heart aches. Rest in peace, gentle King,” in honor of her longtime friend and collaborator. Wyclef Jean also mourned Forté on social media, sharing a performance clip and calling him his “brother.” Forté, who served seven years of a 14-year sentence for a 2000 drug conviction before receiving clemency from President George W. Bush in 2008, later returned to music and criminal justice reform work, leaving behind a complicated but enduring legacy.