Cause of death revealed for Fugees collaborator John Forté
Rapper John Forté passed away in January at the age of 50, and now his cause of death has been revealed.
The musician, best known for his work alongside the Fugees, died at his home in Chilmark, Massachusetts, on January 12th.
According to the Vineyard Gazette, the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner announced on April 24th that the cause of death was complications from influenza A, with a seizure disorder being a contributing condition.
At the time of his passing, Chilmark Police Chief Sean Slavin stated that there were no signs of foul play or a “readily apparent cause of death.”
He was reportedly hospitalised in 2025 after a seizure and was taking medication to control the threat of a grand mal seizure.
Forté worked with the Fugees on The Score in 1996, featuring on and producing ‘Family Business’, while writing and producing the song ‘Cowboys’ featuring the Outsidaz.
Group member Lauryn Hill paid tribute to Forté with a heartfelt message following his death.
“I can’t remember the exact moment I met John Forte or Forte as we used to call him, but I know we became fast friends very soon after,” she wrote on Instagram. “I loved him, my family loved him… I remember meeting his mom with her sweet voice for the first time and walking New York City streets with him in full youthful fascination mode.”
“Forte was a gentlemen and a scholar with a strong pen, deep soul, and kind heart,” she said. “Part Brownsville, part prep-school, he had access to a way of expressing himself with a vocabulary and fluency that was very unique for the time. John was a gentle soul beneath all of his Brownsville chanting.”