Legendary West Coast Artist, Saafir, Has Passed Away

The Hip-Hop community has unfortunately lost another iconic artist in 2024. West Coast underground legend, Saafir, has sadly passed away at the age of 54. Born as Reggie Gibson, Saafir made numerous significant contributions to West Coast’s Hip-Hop culture. Hailing from Oakland, his innovative, jazz-infused style garnered widespread recognition. A stellar performance as a part of his group, Hobo Junction, in a freestyle battle against Casual of The Hieroglyphics, led to him being discovered by Quincy Jones. He released his debut album, “Boxcar Sessions,” in 1994, via Quincy Jones’ imprint, Qwest Records. The album is regarded as a classic.

During his career, Saafir was a part of several renowned groups. Apart from being a founding member of Hobo Junction, he was also a part of Digital Underground, where he worked closely alongside Tupac Shakur. He would later go on to join the “Golden State Project,” alongside Ras Kass and Xzibit. Saafir also delved into acting, and appeared in the 1993 cult classic, “Menace II Society,” where he took on the role of Harold Lawson.

May he rest in peace.