DJ Unk, an Atlanta rapper best known for the hits ‘Walk It Out’ and ‘2 Step’, has died at age 43.
The cause of death has not been revealed. His death was first reported Friday and confirmed by his wife Sherkita Long-Platt, who posted on Facebook:
“Please respect me and my family. I just lost my husband and my kids just lost their father. Our life will never be the same. I LOVE YOU ANTHONY FOREVER.”
Who is DJ Unk?
DJ Unk was born Anthony Leonard Platt. He hit the big time at the turn of the century with hits like “Walk It Out” and “2 Step.”
The single “2 Step” hit No. 4 on the Billboard Hot Rap Songs chart in 2006. “Walk It Out” was featured inthe 2007 movie Stomp the Yard, which was about a gifted street dancer.
Unk was a pivotal figure in snap music, a subgenre of crunk, which was popular in the mid-2000s.
Crunk itself is a subgenre of hip hop that started in the South during the late 1990s. It’s known for its club beats and synths as well as shouted call-and-response vocals.
What was DJ Unk known for?
Unk began his career as a DJ in 1998 at the age of 17. He first worked with DJ Jelly and DJ Montay as the Southern Style DJs, Variety reported.
Unk landed his first big deal in 2000 when he signed with Big Oomp Records. His debut album “Beat’n Down Yo Block!”, though, came years later in 2006 and was produced with Koch Records.
“Walk It Out” was a huge hit for the young rapper, even inspiring a remix that featured André 3000 and Jim Jones. A second album dubbed “2econd Season” dropped in 2008, but was not as successful as his debut.
“It is with a heavy heart and profound sadness that we announce the passing of a true ATL legend, Anthony Platt better known as ‘DJ Unk,’” read a tribute on Instagram from Big Oomp records. “On behalf of Big Oomp Records and the BOR Family, we extend our deepest condolences to his family, friends, and the countless fans who were touched by his artistry and spirit.”
How did DJ Unk die?
While a cause of death has not been revealed, Variety reported that in In August 2009, Unk suffered a heart attack, something the rapper blamed on a combination of nonstop touring, poor eating habits, and drinking and smoking.
“It comes from not exercising, from not eating right,” he told XXL Magazine in 2010. “Basically man, I work hard everyday. Everything I do every day I try to make something happen in my household. I constantly be on the go, I constantly be on airplanes, in different weather and you know it just took a toll on me. It was stress.”
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