Fugees Collaborator and Grammy-Nominated Musician John Forté Dead at 50

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John Forté, a Grammy-nominated music producer who worked closely with the Fugees and Wyclef Jean, has passed away at age 50. He was found at his home in Chilmark, Massachusetts, on Monday, January 12th, according to the Associated Press. Officials haven’t reported any suspicious circumstances surrounding his death and are investigating the cause. The Massachusetts medical examiner is handling the investigation.

I’ve always been so impressed by Forté’s journey. Growing up in Brooklyn, his musical gift was obvious from the start. He was incredibly talented – talented enough to earn a full scholarship to Phillips Exeter Academy where he dedicated himself to the violin. He even started at NYU, but quickly realized his passion was in the music industry, landing a job at Rawkus Entertainment. That’s where everything really took off! He connected with Lauryn Hill and became part of the amazing Refugee Camp collective, which ultimately led to him working with the legendary Fugees. It’s a truly inspiring story.

As a huge fan of ‘The Score,’ I always knew Forté was a key part of the Fugees’ sound. He actually produced a couple of tracks on that album and was on some of their biggest hits – “Family Business,” “Cowboys,” even “Fu-Gee-La!” Can you believe he was only 21 when he got a Grammy nod and hit the road with them? He and Wyclef Jean clearly had a strong connection, collaborating on Wyclef’s first album, ‘The Carnival,’ with Forté showing up on tracks like “Street Jeopardy” and “We Trying to Stay Alive.” Then, in ’98, he finally dropped his own album, ‘Poly Sci,’ and Wyclef was right there producing it. It’s a shame he didn’t get more recognition – the guy was seriously talented.

Wyclef Jean expressed his sadness about Forté’s passing on social media, writing, “This one really hurts. My brother @john_forte has passed away and joined the legends. Rest in peace to my fellow Refugee brother.”

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Throughout his career, Forté collaborated with many well-known artists, including DMX and Carly Simon. His final album, Vessels, Angels & Ancestors, came out in 2021.

Joe Forté faced significant legal issues throughout his life. In 2000, he was arrested at Newark Airport while carrying over $1.4 million worth of liquid cocaine and received a 14-year federal prison sentence. In a 2002 interview with Rolling Stone, he explained that his downfall wasn’t the drugs themselves, but the people he associated with. He felt he was too available and spread too thin, and that the government was making him pay a fourteen-year price for that mistake.

I was so relieved when Forté finally got a presidential pardon from George W. Bush in 2008. It meant the world to him, and he had a lot of amazing people supporting him – friends like Carly Simon and Ben Taylor, and even then-Senator Orrin Hatch, all helped make it happen.

I’ve always been so impressed by John Forté’s music. He really shaped the sound of hip-hop, especially with his work alongside the Fugees. It feels like he helped define a whole generation of the genre, and everyone who worked with him speaks so highly of his creativity and genuine personality. He’s truly a memorable and loved artist.

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2026-01-14 12:14