The family of Chino XL has announced that the rapper died by suicide in July.
“With the most profound sadness imaginable, we share the news that our beloved father decided to end his own life,” his family said in a statement to Rolling Stone. “It’s been the most painful and personal experience of our lives but in honor of Suicide Awareness Month, we decided to share this truth. Dad would hope that this news may help someone else stay alive.”
The family added that the New York rapper born Derek Keith Barbosa added that he suffered from “congenital heart failure in 2020 and stage 4 prostate cancer earlier this year,” as well as “struggled with life-long depression.”
“The Ventura County Medical Examiner’s office lists his official cause of death as asphyxia as a result of ligature hanging,” the statement continued.
Barbosa’s daughters added in a statement, “Our father was our rock and our best friend. Papa Bear
loved us and taught us so much. Hundreds of emails, texts, chats and beautiful posts and comments
on social media, have shown us that Dad was a fountain of strength to so many. He encouraged and
comforted pretty much everyone in his path and left this dimension with an untouchable creative
legacy. We are grateful beyond words for our time with Dad and are overwhelmed by the
immeasurable global outpouring of love from around the world.”
In July, the daughters of Chino XL confirmed his death. “Our father had many titles — King of Punchlines, Puerto Rican Superhero — but the most important one was Girl Dad,” they released in a joint statement at the time. “And what he gave us most in that role was his strength, straightforwardness, and ability to be super realistic. The main thing we are feeling now is that our Dad is at peace, and so we are at peace.”
Barbosa’s bold lyricism brought him both respect and controversy throughout his career in the music industry. The rapper of Puerto Rican descent was born in the Bronx, New York. He released four studio albums including Ricanstruction: The Black Rosary and his fourth and final LP, Ricanstruction: The Black Rosary, in 2012. Among his biggest hits were “No Complex,” “Sickology 101” with Tech N9ne, and “The Anthem” with Sway and King Tech.
In 2008, Barbosa participated in Mike Ford’s Hip-Hop Architecture Camp to help diversify the field of architecture by having students assemble Lego models based on rap lyrics. “I have been on this planet for several decades, and I have moved in some pretty radical circles, but personally, I cannot recall meeting a melanated architect in my whole life,” Barbosa told Rolling Stone at the time. “Just for these children to know it’s a thing, that’s important.”
Dial 988 in the US to reach the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. Find other international suicide helplines at Befrienders Worldwide (befrienders.org).