Rest In Power: Notable Black People Who Died In 2025

1. Oliver ‘The Big O’ Miller

Former NBA player Oliver ‘The Big O’ Miller reportedly passed away on March 12 at the age of 54. A cause of death hasn’t been revealed.

Eddie Johnson, a fellow former Phoenix Sun and the team’s current broadcaster, first confirmed the news on X.

“I am so sad to report we have lost another @NBA Fraternity member! Nine year veteran Oliver Miller has passed away at age 54! Going to miss you Big O. . RIP,” he wrote. 

The National Basketball Retired Players Association (NBRPA) then shared a message about his death, writing, “The basketball community has lost a Legend. Our hearts are with the family, friends, and fans of Oliver Miller.”

Miller first gained recognition as a sought-after basketball player as a senior in high school. After graduating, he spent four years as a Razorback at the University of Arkansas, where he helped the team win the now-defunct Southwest Conference regular season championship, three consecutive SWC Tournament championships, and even made a 1990 Final Four appearance.

When Arkansas honored the 1990 team last month, the announcer noted that Miller was fighting cancer. It was the last post that Miller made on X.

After four years in college, the Phoenix Suns selected him with the 22nd overall pick in the 1992 draft. He then played eight years in the NBA with the Detroit Pistons, Toronto Raptors, and Dallas Mavericks.

The Raptors expressed their condolences on Miller’s death, noting that his first stint with the Canadian team in the mid-1990s was momentous because it was during their inaugural season.

“The Toronto Raptors are saddened to learn of the passing of Oliver Miller, who spent three seasons with our organization,” the tweet reads. “He holds a special place in our history as a member of our inaugural team in 1995, and we are so grateful for all his contributions. We send our deepest condolences to the Miller family.”

2. Junior Bridgeman

Junior Bridgeman, Louisville basketball legend and successful Black entrepreneur, died this week after suffering a medical emergency at the Galt House Hotel.

According to Kentucky’s WAVE, Bridgeman was attending an event at the Galt House in downtown Louisville on March 11 when he grabbed his chest and said he thought he was having a heart attack. The room was cleared as medical personnel attempted to intervene in the medical emergency. Later that day, the Al J. Schneider Company, which owns the Galt House, confirmed his death his death with the Courier-Journal.

“Junior Bridgeman was an integral part of our community. From his athletic impact to his philanthropic efforts, he will be deeply missed,” said Lance George, Chief Marketing Officer. “Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Bridgeman family during this time.”

As reported by our family over at CassiusLife, Bridgeman was a beloved member of the basketball community after getting his start at the University of Louisville, where he led the Cardinals to the NCAA Final Four in 1975. From there, he was drafted by the Milwaukee Bucks, and after nine years, he went to the Los Angeles Clippers for a bit before ultimately retiring with the team that drafted him.

As CEO and president, he led his own Bridgeman Foods Inc., and later, through his Bridgeman Sports and Media company, he bought iconic black media companies Ebony and Jet. Then, just last year, his business career had a full circle moment as he purchased a 10% stake in the Bucks, which is evaluated in its entirety at $4 billion.

3. Cross The Tracks Festival 2022

The Jazz and Soul music legend Roy Ayers has passed at the age of 84.

According to Variety, the Jazz vibraphonist’s family confirmed that he passed away on Tuesday, March 4, after a “long illness.”

“It is with great sadness that the family of legendary vibraphonist, composer, and producer Roy Ayers announce his passing which occurred on March 4, 2025, in New York City after a long illness,” reads the Ayers family’s statement. “He lived a beautiful 84 years and will be sorely missed. A celebration of Roy’s life will be forthcoming.”

According to HipHopWired, Ayers was best known for his song “Everybody Loves The Sunshine,” from his 1976 album of the same name, which has been sampled countless times by Hip-Hop and R&B musicians. Ayers often credited Mary J. Blige’s 1994 “My Life,” which liberally samples the aforementioned song, with reviving his career and enriching his bank account.

Also a composer and record producer, Ayers’ deep and rich catalog of music has long been mined for samples that got flipped into new beats that hipped a new generation of listeners to his grooves. Some of those recognizable songs include “We Live In Brooklyn, Baby,” “Searching,” and “Running Away,” which were in turn chopped and massaged into new works from the likes of Pete Rock & CL Smooth, Mos Def, Kendrick Lamar. A Tribe Called Quest and many, many more. Also notable was Ayers’ crafting of the soundtrack to the Blaxploitation classic Coffy, which stars Pam Grier.

4. AIDS Walk Houston – Rock The Walk

Former Mayor Sylvester Turner, a true Houston legend, passed away at 70. The Houston Chronicle shared the news early Wednesday morning (March 5.)

As reported by our family over at The Box Houston, a Houston native, Turner began his career in law after graduating from Harvard Law School. In 1983, he founded Barnes & Turner, his own law firm in addition to his duties as a professor and lecturer at several law schools. His move to the political arena would see Turner serve two terms as mayor of the city of Houston after being elected in 2016.

Last November, the former mayor won the election to fill late Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee’s seat in District 18.

Turner was truly embraced by the community. According to HipHopWired, one of his last big moves as mayor was declaring Dec. 13 “Hip Hop History Day” in honor of the city’s legendary music scene. This day celebrated Houston’s undeniable mark on the culture, paying tribute to the artists, producers, and key players who helped shape the sound that the world knows today.

His loss will have a huge impact on the city of Houston.

5. Hazel Dukes

Iconic civil rights leader Dr. Hazel Dukes died on March 1, at the age of 92, according to CBS News, which was confirmed by her son Ronald Dukes.

“Mom was a committed civil rights leader in New York City and the nation and worked tirelessly on the frontlines almost to the end. We find comfort in knowing that while she’s no longer with us physically, but resting in the bosom of Jesus,” Ronald said in a statement.

Hazel Dukes, also known as “Queen Mother” or “Ma Dukes,” dedicated her life to civil rights, with more than seven decades of activism and service. Born in Montgomery, Alabama, Dukes found her love for fighting for civil rights when she moved to North Hempstead, Long Island in 1956. There she advocated for housing equity and was the first Black woman to work for the Nassau County attorney’s office, according the CBS News.

In 1989, Dukes served as national president of the NAACP and in 1999, became president of the NAACP’s New York State Conference.

“She was NAACP,” Activist Jamie Bland told CBS News, “and she will always be here in spirit.”

Rev. Al Sharpton also shared kind words about Dukes, whom he has known for over 40 years.

“She was a force of nature for justice and an activist of the highest order. She made a difference, and we will forever be indebted to her. I spoke to her by phone just two days ago. She was weak and somewhat conclusive that her work was done,” Sharpton said. “We will never have another Hazel Dukes, but I am grateful that we had this one.”

6. Angie Stone

Legendary singer and songwriter, Angie Stone has passed away, she was only 63.

Details surrounding her death are still scarce, but celebrity gossip site TMZ received confirmation of her passing as the result of a horrific car crash that also involved nine other individuals from her rep Deborah R. Champagne.

Per TMZ:

The late star’s rep Deborah R. Champagne tells TMZ … Angie left a performance in Montgomery, Alabama early Saturday morning when she was killed in a car crash. No other details are known at this point.

Deborah tells us she just spoke to Angie last night … and the news has rocked and devastated friends and family.

Has reported by HipHopWired, Angie Stone, born Angela Laverne Brown on December 18, 1961, in Columbia, South Carolina, emerged onto the music scene as a member of The Sequence, the first all-female group signed to Sugar Hill Records. They would go on to release three albums between 1979 and 1985. Their song “Funk You Up” would go on to be sampled in numerous tracks, notably Dr Dre’s “Keep Their Heads Ringin” and Bruno Mars’ “Uptown Funk.”

Stone would take her act the solo route in the 90s, dropping her debut gold album Black Diamond. Two years later she would drop “Wish I Didn’t Miss You Anymore.”

Stone was also known for her contributions to D’Angelo’s albums Brown Sugar and Voodoo, they also share a son, Michael.

Fans and colleagues took to social media to pay their respects to Angie Stone.

Stone has a daughter named Diamond and two grandchildren. Rest In Peace Angie Stone.

7. Roberta Flack

Legendary R&B singer and songwriter Roberta Flack died at 88 years old on Monday (Feb. 24). A statement from her spokesperson read that “She died peacefully surrounded by her family. Roberta broke boundaries and records. She was also a proud educator.”

Flack earned her first big break after actor and director Clint Eastwood used one of her songs in his films. As reported by our brothas over at HipHopWired, Flack was born on Feb. 10, 1937, in Black Mountain, N.C., and grew up in the Washington, D.C., suburb of Arlington, Va. As a child, Flack was inspired by the gospel singers of her local church and took an interest in learning the piano as an instrument. Flack’s skills as a pianist led to her earning a scholarship to attend Howard University at the age of 15. Upon graduating, the classically trained Flack worked as a student educator before returning to North Carolina to teach ahead of returning to the D.C. area to teach at several schools. In 1968, at the urging of her vocal coach at the time, Flack became a professional singer, and she became a regular performer at Mr. Henry’s restaurant, which still stands today in Washington’s Capitol Hill neighborhood.

In the 1970s, jazz legend Les McCann discovered Flack singing at a D.C. nightclub, leading to an audition and wrote inside the liner notes of her 1969 debut album, First Take for Atlantic Records. Things took a turn for the better for Flack when the aforementioned Eastwood used the Grammy Award-winning song “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” from First Take in his 1971 film Play Misty For Me, helping the album soar to the top of the Billboard charts and cementing Flack’s status as a star.

Other hits for Flack include “Where Is The Love” alongside Donny Hathaway, “Feel Like Making Love,” and perhaps Flack’s biggest hit, “Killing Me Softly With His Song,” another Grammy winner, which was remixed by The Fugees in 1996 en route to becoming a global smash.

Rest In Peace, Roberta Flack.

8. Voletta Wallace

Voletta Wallace, the mother of the late great Christopher “The Notorious B.I.G.” Wallace, has died at 72, in Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, according to TMZ. The publication confirmed her death with Monroe County Coroner, who said she had been staying in hospice care and the cause of death.

Wallace, who was a retired schoolteacher, was a native of Jamaica. She would later move to Brooklyn, N.Y. where she would welcome her son, who would go on to become Biggie, one of the most influential rappers in the history of Hip Hop.

From HipHopWired:

After the tragic loss of her son, Wallace continued to uphold the legacy of The Notorious B.I.G. and oversaw his estate, including making certain that his daughter, T’yanna Wallace, and son, C.J. Wallace were taken care of. She also released the book Biggie: Voletta Wallace Remembers Her Son, Christopher Wallace, aka Notorious B.I.G in 2005.

After Christopher Wallace’s death, Voletta carried on his legacy, overseeing name, likeness, and his $160 million empire.

In 2020, Voletta proudly attended her son’s induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Rest In Peace Voletta Wallace.

9. Jerry Butler

Chicago legend Jerry Butler passed away on Thursday at the age of 85 at his home in Chicago, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.

Butler, also known as ‘The Iceman,” was a historical figure in Chicago’s music and political scene. His contributions spanned for decades and his influence will live on forever.

Butler was born in 1939 in  Sunflower, Mississippi. At a young age, he moved to Chicago and grew up in Chicago’s Cabrini-Green housing complex. Music was his first passion and alongside his friend, Curtis Mayfield, he joined the gospel group Northern Jubilee Singers, which would later be known as the legendary R&B group, The Impressions.

From MyMajicDC:

Their early hit, “For Your Precious Love,” became an anthem of the 1950s and launched them to stardom. The group’s music, often dubbed the sound of the Civil Rights Movement, resonated deeply, reflecting the social struggles and aspirations of the era.

Jerry Butler also had a successful solo career, but his next calling was public service. From 1985 to 2018, Butler served on the Cook County Board as a commissioner.

“He’s one of the great voices of our time,” Motown legend Smokey Robinson told the Chicago Sun-Times. “ I have known Jerry Butler way back, since the Miracles and I first got started, around 1958. He’s a great person, and I love him.”

Jerry Butler’s wife, Annette Butler, died in 2019. Jerry and his wife are survived by sons Anthony and Randy, four grandchildren and a great-grandchild.

10. Irv Gotti

Irv Gotti, the influential record executive, producer, and entrepreneur best known for founding Murder Inc. Records, has passed away, The Hollywood Reporter confirmed Wednesday. The cause of his death remains undisclosed.

Gotti rose to prominence in the late 1990s and early 2000s, shaping the sound of hip-hop and R&B with his signature production style. He played a pivotal role in the careers of Ja Rule, Ashanti, and DMX, all of whom achieved massive commercial success. His ability to fuse hard-hitting hip-hop beats with melodic hooks led to numerous crossover hits, including the multi-platinum “Always On Time” by Ja Rule featuring Jennifer Lopez and Ashanti’s chart-topping single “Foolish.”

Before launching Murder Inc., Gotti made his mark as an A&R executive at Def Jam, where he was instrumental in signing DMX, Jay-Z, and Ja Rule—three artists who would become defining figures in hip-hop. Under the alias DJ Irv, he also produced “Can I Live” from Jay-Z’s 1996 debut album Reasonable Doubt. As Murder Inc. evolved, it was later rebranded as The Inc., expanding its roster to include artists like Vanessa Carlton, whose 2007 album Heroes and Thieves Gotti co-produced alongside Rick Rubin and Stephan Jenkins of Third Eye Blind.

When the news broke, the Hip-Hop world froze. Artists, producers, and fans were left in shock, as Irv wasn’t just a producer – he was the heartbeat of an era. Ye (Kanye West) posted a dove with a photo of Irv to pay tribute. While Ja Rule, who’d worked closely with him for years, kept it short and sweet with a broken heart emoji.

Russell Simmons, also expressed his sorrow, highlighting Irv’s unfiltered authenticity and the realness he brought to the culture. The streets are heavy right now, and our thoughts go out to Irv’s family, his friends, and the millions of fans who felt his impact. He left too soon, but his legacy is solid and will live on forever. Irv Gotti will always be a part of Hip-Hop’s foundation, and his music will live forever. Rest in peace, legend.

Gotti’s impact on the music industry remains undeniable, with his contributions shaping the sound and success of a generation of artists.

11. Retired Lt. Col. Harry Stewart, Jr

Stewart, Jr. was a retired U.S. Air Force officer and one of the legendary Tuskegee Airmen, the first African-American military aviators in the United States Armed Forces. Born on July 4, 1924, Stewart served during World War II as a fighter pilot in the 332nd Fighter Group, famously known as the “Red Tails.”

12. Reatha “Rose” Grey

Reatha “Rose” Grey was a member of the Retirement House and quickly became a viral TikTok sensation for her funny wit and zest for life.  It was announced that she passed by her fellow friends, no cause of death was given.  

13. Yolanda Halley

Producer Yolanda Halley, passed away on Sunday, January 19, 2025

14. Barry Michael Cooper

 Journalist and author Barry Michael Cooper wrote the films New Jack City (1991) , Sugar Hill (1994) and Above the Rim (1994)

15. Former NBA All-Star Gus Williams

Williams received the nickname “The Wizard” for his dazzling ball-handling and quick drives. Over his career, Williams averaged 17.1 points, 5.6 assists and 2.0 steals per game with two All-Star selections and multiple All-NBA honors.

16. Actress Dalyce Curry

Dalyce Curry was an actress known for her role in “Blues Brothers.” She recently passed away at the age of 95 due to the Los Angeles wildfires. Her remains were found at her home in Altadena, California

17. Sam Moore

Born in Miami, Florida, in October 1935, Moore grew up immersed in gospel music, singing in church choirs before his path led him to rhythm and blues. His life changed in the early 1960s when he met Dave Prater at a Miami nightclub. Together, they formed Sam & Dave, and the pair quickly became a driving force in soul music. Signed to the legendary Stax Records, their partnership with the songwriting team of Isaac Hayes and David Porter resulted in some of the genre’s most enduring classics.

18. Singer, Brenton Wood

Born Alfred Jesse Smith in Shreveport, Louisiana, Wood’s family relocated to California, where his artistic talents blossomed. Drawing inspiration from legends like Sam Cooke, his unique blend of soulful vocals, piano-driven instrumentation, and playful lyrics brought a fresh vibrancy to the R&B genre. His work captured universal experiences of love, heartbreak, and connection, resonating deeply with listeners.

Wood rose to fame in the 1960s with hits like “The Oogum Boogum Song” and “Gimme Little Sign.”