Renowned Artist John Forté Has Passed Away
Renowned Grammy-nominated artist John Forté has unfortunately passed away on January 12th, 2026, at the age of 50. He was aptly referred to as a musical prodigy, who was a multi-instrumentalist, a producer, and a writer. Born in Brownsville, Brooklyn, Forté won a full scholarship to Phillips Exeter Academy, where he studied violin. He played in a youth orchestra before cultivating his love of Hip-Hop.
Forté began his work in the music industry after being introduced to the Fugees by Lauryn Hill in the early 90s. He would go on to co-produce and co-write several tracks on the Fugees classic album, “The Score,” on which he also performed a verse on “Family Business.” He was prominently involved in Wyclef Jean’s 1997 debut album, “Wyclef Jean Presents The Carnival.” Forté was also a part of the loosely defined musical collective Refugee Camp All-Stars, associated with the Fugees and their extended creative circle.
In 1998, he released his debut solo album, “Poly Sci,” which was fully produced by Wyclef, and featured several prominent emcees, such as Fat Joe and DMX. “I, John” followed in 2002, and “Stylefree EP” in 2009. He released a total of six full-length projects throughout his career, with the final one, “Vessels, Angels & Ancestors,” arriving in 2021. Forté also participated in several interesting projects throughout his career, such as composing an anthem for the Brooklyn Nets, titled “Brooklyn: Something to Lean On,” appearing on the “Money Talks” soundtrack with the song “Avenues,” alongside Pras, and composing the theme song for CBS News documentary series, “Brooklyn DA.”
John Forté is sure to be remembered fondly in the culture, and his contributions to Hip-Hop will certainly not be forgotten.
May he rest in peace.
