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Saafir, Underground Bay Area Hip-Hop Great, Dead at 54

Saafir, the highly-regarded underground MC who helped bring national attention to Bay Area hip-hop, has died at the age of 54.

Saafir, the celebrated Oakland rapper who became a stalwart figure in the world of early Nineties West Coast hip-hop, died Tuesday, Nov. 19, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. He found his way to music in the early Nineties after being discovered by Digital Underground’s Shock G, who gave Saafir the chance to make his recorded debut on DU’s 1993 album, The Body-Hat Syndrome. Gibson went on to appear in the 1993 film Menace II Society, formed the Hobo Junction crew, and released his debut album, Boxcar Sessions, on Quincy Jones’ Qwest Records in 1994.

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