The hip-hop world is now in mourning after the saddening death of DJ Clark Kent at age 57 on Thursday night (October 24), a legendary producer whose legacy extends far beyond his pivotal role in the founding of Roc-A-Fella Records. A family statement was released on social media, indicating that he was with his wife Kesha, his daughter Kabriah, and his son Antonio when he passed. In addition, the statement expressed that the beatsmith fought colon cancer for three years, and also asked for fans to respect his family and loved ones’ privacy during this difficult time. Many in hip-hop culture poured out their tributes, and we will see many more.
Many hip-hop fans know DJ Clark Kent for his connection to Jay-Z and how he ushered Hov into the game. “Everybody who was a part of Roc-a-Fella in the very-very-very beginning overlapped,” he told the People’s Party podcast with Talib Kweli and Jasmin Leigh back in 2021. “Biggs overlapped, Dame overlapped. Jay overlapped. It’s just I’m out there going, ‘No. Make this rap s**t.’ You have to understand, I had a job at a rap company very young. I was like, ‘No. We gotta do this instead.'”
RIP DJ Clark Kent
DJ Clark Kent, real name Rodolfo Franklin, started his DJ career in the late 1980s with Dana Dane, and eventually made a name for himself as a beat-maker with hits like Junior M.A.F.I.A.’s legendary “Player’s Anthem.” Eventually, according to Damon Dash, the Panamanian-American producer introduced him to Jay-Z, and this led to the formation of Roc-A-Fella Records. Franklin also introduced his cousin Foxy Brown to Jay, discovered Shyne, and made many more decisions and actions that had a butterfly effect for the benefit of hip-hop culture. Of course, his curious stories about the industry and occasional hot takes are an amazing insight into the rap world’s many moving parts.
Meanwhile, in recent years, DJ Clark Kent advocated for the regulation of artificial intelligence technology in music along with many other exponents. It’s part of his amazing legacy in the culture and his indelible contributions to it. At press time, there aren’t many more details about this heartbreaking loss, but we know that hip-hop and beyond will celebrate this magnanimous life and career in Franklin’s honor.
Rest In Peace DJ Clark Kent.
About The Author
Gabriel Bras Nevares is a staff writer for HotNewHipHop. He joined HNHH while completing his B.A. in Journalism & Mass Communication at The George Washington University in the summer of 2022.
Born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Gabriel treasures the crossover between his native reggaetón and hip-hop news coverage, such as his review for Bad Bunny’s hometown concert in 2024. But more specifically, he digs for the deeper side of hip-hop conversations, whether that’s the “death” of the genre in 2023, the lyrical and parasocial intricacies of the Kendrick Lamar and Drake battle, or the many moving parts of the Young Thug and YSL RICO case.
Beyond engaging and breaking news coverage, Gabriel makes the most out of his concert obsessions, reviewing and recapping festivals like Rolling Loud Miami and Camp Flog Gnaw. He’s also developed a strong editorial voice through album reviews, think-pieces, and interviews with some of the genre’s brightest upstarts and most enduring obscured gems like Homeboy Sandman, Bktherula, Bas, and Devin Malik.
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