Those We Lost in 2011

To the ones who left us too early... We had a technologist who gave us the iPhone and iPad, a young and talented UK female singer, a rising black comedian, a stanch NFL team owner and a budding Indy Car driver.

In the hip hop world, we also lost 2 giants Nate Dogg & Heavy D, whose combine efforts sold millions and millions of albums. Many other notables in the music, sports and entertainment world are gone this year, but not forgotten and are featured below.

Amy Winehouse

Steve Jobs

Veteran musician - Gil Scott-Heron

Apparel designer - Jonas Becvacqua (co-founder of LRG)

Rapper - Special One (Conscience Daughters)

Sylvia Robinson (founder of Sugar Hill Records)

Rapper - Kampane

Actor - Jeff Conway (TV show TAXI)

Actor - Harry Morgan (TV show M*A*S*H)

Rapper - Tim Smooth

Rapper - Slim Dunkin

Indy Car driver - Danny Wheldon

First Lady - Betty Ford

Actor - James Arness (TV show Gunsmoke)

Boxer - Joe Frazier

Actor - Cliff Robertson

Musician - Clarence Clemmons (Bruce Springsteen & E-Street Band)

Actor - Ryan Dunn

Rapper - M-Bone (Cali Swag District)

Rock Guitarist - Gary Moore

Actress - Dame Elizabeth Taylor

Songwriter Musician - Nick Ashford

Rock Singer - Jani Lane (Warrant)

Songwriter - Jerry Leiber

TV commentarist - Andy Rooney

Actor - Pete Falk (TV show Columbo)

Nate Dogg

Heavy D

Music Composer - John Barry (James Bond 007 theme)

Pro Wrestler - Shawn McGrath

Jazz pianist - Pinetop Perkins

Polar Bear - Knut

Rock Bassist - Mike Starr (Alice In Chains)

Singer - Phoebe Snow

NFL team owner - Al Davis

Music producer and engineer - Roger Nichols (associated with Steely Dan)

Pro wrestler - Randy Savage

Jazz and R&B guitarist - Cornell Dupree

Actor - Jackie Cooper

Songwriter - Andrew Gold

TV producer - Sherwood Schwartz (Brady Bunch, Gilligan's Island)

Heavy metal guitarist - Würzel (Motorhead)

Blues guitarist - David "Honeyboy" Edwards

Music Executive - Frank DiLeo (Michael Jackon's one time manager)

Motown music executive - Esther Gordy Edwards

Football player and actor - Bubba Smith

Football player - Orlando Brown

R&B Singer - Vesta Williams

Comedian - Patrice O'Neal

Blues singer - Lee "Shot" Williams

Jazz musician - Sam Rivers

Internet personality - Ben Breedlove

Rock musician - Jim Sherwood (with Frank Zappa's Mother's of Invention)

World music singer - Cesária Évora

Rock guitarist - Cory Smoot (GWAR)

Rapper - Tommy Hill

R&B singer and songwriter - Gene Daniels

Blues guitarist - Hubert Sumlin

Singer - Dobie Gray

Singer and songwriter - Gerry Rafferty

Music promoter - Don Kirshner

Nate Dogg: LBC Hook Man Dead At 41

Reporting some very sad news in the hip hop community with the passing of Nate Dogg. An integral part of the West Coast sound, with so many memorable hooks and a voice that put the LBC on the map. We are so sorry to hear this tragic news.

via the Long Beach Press Telegram

LONG BEACH — Nathaniel D. Hale, known in the music industry as Nate Dogg, died Tuesday, his family announced.

The rap star, born and reared in Long Beach, Calif. was 41.

Cause of death is not known. However, Hale had suffered two strokes, one in 2007 and another in 2008.

DJ Clark Kent On Notorious B.I.G. Memories

On the 14th anniversary of the death of the person some recall as the "greatest rapper of all time" we wanted to do something really special, so we met up with DJ Clark Kent who was The Notorious B.I.G's DJ and longtime friend from Brooklyn. In this clip Clark talks about what it was like working with Biggie to put together the Junior M.A.F.I.A. album, going with him on his first shows and trying to convince him that an up and coming rapper named Jay-Z was worth a listen.

(video and text courtesy of the Life Files)

People We Lost In 2010 R.I.P.

On the news of R&B’s Teena Marie passing yesterday, it’s only fit to give honorable acknowledgments to the people who have passed on in 2010. Guru was one of the biggest losses this year, a major pillar in hip hop. His death impacted the music community at large and will continue to be felt for many years to come. Other notables in music, sports and the entertainment world are featured below.

Guru fr. Gangstarr (real name Keith Elam)

Gregory Issacs (Reggae artist)

Michael 'Eyedea' Larson (underground rapper/free stylist)

Dennis Hopper (Actor)

Solomon Burke (R&B singer)

Dick Griffey (Record executive SOLAR Records)

Manute Bol (Basketball athlete)

Marvin Isley (bassist for the Isley Brothers)

Garry Shider (guitarist for Parliament - Funkadelic)

Robert Wislon (bassist for The Gap Band)

Doug Fieger (lead singer for The Knack)

Alex Chilton ( lead singer for The Box Tops)

John Wooden (Basketball athlete and coach)

Ronnie James Dio (Heavy Metal singer/musician)

Paul Gray (bassist for Slipknot)

Hank Jones (Jazz bassist)

Pete Steele (bassist and singer for Type O Negative)

Uncle Jamm's Army Roger Clayton (DJ & Concert Promoter)

Herb Cohen (Artist manager for Frank Zappa)

Peter Graves (Actor)

J.D. Salinger (author 'The Catcher and the Rye')

Apache (rapper)

Jay Reatard (musician)

Teddy Pendergrass (R&B singer)

Yabby You (Reggae/Dancehall artist)

Arrow (Soca artist/musician)

Art Clokey (children’s animator/claymator)

Teena Marie (R&B singer)

Alexander McQueen (Fashion designer)

Bob Guccione (Magazine publisher of Penthouse)

Corey Haim (Teen Actor)

Ali-Ollie Woodson (singer from the Temptations)

George Steinbrenner (owner New York Yankees)

Tony Curtis (Actor)

Albertina Walker (Gospel singer)

Tom Bosley (TV Actor)

Sparky Anderson (Major League Baseball manager)

Leslie Nielsen (Actor)

Blake Edwards (Movie director)

Captain Beefheart (Musician)

Bob Feller (Cleveland Indians MLB Hall of Famer/pitcher)

Lena Horne (Jazz Singer)

James Moody (Jazz Musician)

Don Meredith (Monday Night Football sportscaster)

Dino De Laurentiis (Movie director)

Gary Coleman (Child TV Actor)

Andy Irons (Surfer/athlete)

Barbara Billingsley (TV Actress)

Maurice Lucas (Basketball athlete)

Magnolia Shorty (Female rapper)

Arthur Penn (TV, Movie director)

Eddie Fisher (50's singer)

Steve Cannell (Televison writer)

Solomon Burke (R&B singer)

Rue McClanahan (TV Actress)

Edwin Newman (TV reporter/anchorman)

Sally Menke (Quentin Tarantino film editor)

George Blanda (Football athlete)

Jack Tatum (Footbal athlete)

John Forsythe (TV Actor)

Art Linkletter (Broadcaster/Interviewer)

Merlin Olsen (Football athlete/TV Actor)

Mitch Miller (Columbia Records executive/musician)

Dixie Carter (TV Actress)

Willie Davis (Baseball athlete)

Jim Marshall (rock photographer)

Malcolm McLaren (artist manager/culture icon)

Lynn Redgrave (Actress)

Frank Frazetta (artist/illustrator Conan covers)

Ron Banks (singer from the Dramatics)

Bernie Wilson (baritone singer for Harold and the Blue Notes)