Who was Don Newkirk? Tributes pour in as De La Soul collaborator and former Def Jam artist dies aged 56

American musician Don Newkirk, best known for his work with De La Soul and 3rd Bass, passed away at the age of 56.

On November 26, hip-hop artist Rahiem of Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five took to his Facebook handle to announce the news of his death:

"With a heavy heart, I announce my brother Don Newkirk’s transitioning my condolences go out to his family. Don Newkirk was one of the first R&B artists signed to Defjam records. May he S.I.P."

Screenshot of Rahiem's post. (Image via Facebook)

While talking to AllHipHop, Rahiem revealed how he learned about Don Newkirk's death.

“One of our close friends called me and told me that Don’s daughter called him and told him.”

Newkirk was famed for singing in albums such as 3 Feet High and Rising by De La Soul and The Gas Face by 3rd Bass's 1989 debut, The Cactus Album.

The artist also released his solo album, Funk City, via a division of Def Jam Records, OBR/Columbia Records. His popular singles Sweat You and I Desire are from the aforementioned album.

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Don Newkirk thought his career as an emcee would have been more prolific than a singer

While speaking to AllHipHop in 2021, Don Newkirk discussed his solo album Funk City and how it experimented with his voice in different ways other than rapping:

“Because I was never a singer. I was always an MC. But I just felt like I could express what I was trying to save better with melody back then. So it came out more so as Funk City, which I think is dope because it gave people a whole different element of me. And just that whole time of like what was going on our crew."

Reflecting on his career, he said:

"Maybe I would have had more success If I had stuck to emceeing, being the 3 Feet High and Rising came out and ‘Gas Face’ was about to come out. And then I was in that whole camp, pretty much in the Native Tongues camp but not really a Native Tongue, more so because I was singing than spitting."

He further added:

"But I’m glad that it it did go down the way it went down because it created this legacy that I’m only now realizing, has made an effect that I didn’t even know from back then because we didn’t have internet.”

The deceased 56-year-old also created a second album in 1992 titled Between Love & Lust, but the project was shelved when Def Jam Records sold it to its subsidiary.

In 2016, Don joined the short-experimental project BROOKZILL! alongside Prince Paul, Ladybug Mecca, and Rodrigo Brandão. Together, they created the album Throwback To The Future before parting ways.

Don once again joined hands with Prince Paul to compose the background score for the Netflix documentary Who Killed Malcolm X. Previously, they collaborated and composed the score for 2004's The Best Thief In the World and the independent film Pressure Cooker.

The duo also composed the theme song for the podcast Mogul: The Life & Death of Chris Lighty and contributed to Chris Rock's Grammy-winning album, Never Scared.

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Netizens pay tribute to Don Newkirk as they come to know of his untimely demise

After the news of Don Newkirk's death went viral over the internet, Twitteratis offered condolences and recalled the artist's contribution to the music industry. Not just fans but several music personalities also paid tribute to the deceased artist.

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As of writing this article, the cause of Don Newkirk's death has not yet been disclosed.