Updated (Jan. 20, 10:15 a.m.)
It appears Fredo Santana suffered from a fatal seizure Friday night (Jan. 19), in his Los Angeles home. Family members of the rapper tell TMZ Fredo was found dead on the floor in his home by his girlfriend around 11:30 p.m.
Original Story:
Chicago rapper Fredo Santana , born Derrick Coleman, has passed away at the age of 27.
Information on his passing is scarce at the time, but it appears the MC may have suffered from kidney failure leading to his death. Last October, Fredo went to the emergency room after suffering from kidney and liver failure , a possible result of his lean usage, and shared the experience with fans on social media. "Been in here since Friday doctor say a nigga had kidney failure an liver failure," he wrote on Instagram. "Thanks for everyone who prayed for a nigga I wouldn't wish this on my worse enemy."
He later contemplated going to rehab . "Hopefully I can be the face to sho niggas to slow down an we got our whole life ahead of us fuck being rock stars gettin high I got ptsd," he opened up to fans on Twitter a few days later. "I was running from my old life tryna get high didn't want to face them demons...I'm getting help I might just go to rehab."
It appears his health issues were too much to overcome.
Fredo made his way into the mainstream spotlight along with his cousin Chief Keef in the early 2010s as part of the Chi's Drill wave. He carved his own niche and has dropped popular mixtapes like Fredo Kruger , It's a Scary Site and his Trappin Ain't Dead album. He was working on the second installment in his Walking Legend mixtape series before he passed. " Walking Legend 2 is my favorite project an I only got 7 songs done so far 🔥🔥...... can't wait to it's finished an complete," he recently tweeted.
Sadley, Chief Keef has now lost his cousin, Blood Money, GBE affiliate, Capo, friend T.Roy and now Fredo in the last four years.
Fredo is survived by his 8-month-old son, Legend.
RIP Fredo Santana.
Fredo Santana, rapper and one of the pioneers of Chicago’s drill movement, has died at the age of 27.
Glory Boyz Entertainment issued a statement to Billboard: "Everyone at Glory Boyz Entertainment is shocked and saddened by the sudden passing of Fredo. He was not only a talented rapper but family to everyone and a true star who was taken too soon. We are all proud of everything he was able to accomplish in his life and he will truly be missed. At this time we ask for privacy and prayers for his family and friends."
TMZ reports that Santana died Friday night (Jan. 19) as the result of a seizure.
Santana, born Derrick Coleman, suffered serious health problems throughout last year, and was hospitalized for liver and kidney failure in October. Houston rapper Maxo Kream was the first to break the news with an Instagram post, followed by close associates like Young Chop and Lil Durk.
Santana’s name was cemented into the minds of rap fans through his younger cousin Chief Keef’s 2012 breakout hit “I Don’t Like,” in which Keef made an inimitable mention of Santana in his verse: “Fredo in the cut/ That’s a scary sight.” The song, later remixed by Kanye West, catapulted Keef and Santana’s Glory Boyz Entertainment squad, drill music, and new trends in Chicago rap more broadly into the national spotlight.
After releasing his debut 2012 mixtape It’s A Scary Sight, Santana released his anticipated debut album, Trappin Ain’t Dead, in 2013, which included a high-profile feature from Kendrick Lamar on the single “Jealous.” It also included appearances from Santana’s other close associates including Chief Keef, SD, and Gino Marley, with whom he released a collaborative mixtape the same year. The album debuted Santana’s own imprint, Savage Squad Records.
Santana released music regularly up until his final release from last year, Fredo Kruger 2. At the time of his death, fans were expecting the release of a collaborative mixtape with Chief Keef called Turbo Bandanna, the release of which Santana claimed was postponed by his hospital stay, and Walking Legend 2, another solo project. Santana’s son, Legend, was born in June of last year.
Friends and associates took to Twitter to share their memories and condolences, including Drake, in whose 2013 video for “Hold On, We’re Going Home” Santana appeared prominently.
This article originally appeared on Spin.
Fredo Santana, Chicago drill rapper and cousin of Chief Keef, has died at the age of 27.
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While no cause of death was officially revealed, TMZ reports that the rapper born Derrick Coleman suffered a fatal seizure Friday night in Los Angeles.
Houston rapper Maxo Kream was among the first to post about Santana's death on social media, "Damn man I’m lost for words right now I’m cryin my ass off Fredo I love yu Bitch RIP a real Savage." Drake also posted a photo of him and Santana with the caption "Rest In Peace Santana"; Santana had a cameo in Drake's video for the hit "Hold On, We're Coming Home."
On October 12th, Santana posted a video on Instagram of the rapper in the hospital, where he was being treated for "kidney failure [and] liver failure." Two days later, Santana said that he was "out of the hospital" and "on my way to the studio."
The rapper later told fans that his health issues were likely the result of continued lean usage, and that he was considering rehab to deal with the addiction. TMZ notes that seizures are a side effect of prolonged lean consumption.
Santana's debut mixtape It's a Scary Site arrived in 2012 with appearances by fellow Chicago rappers King L, Lil Durk, Lil Reese and Chief Keef. Santana's lone studio album, 2013's Trappin Ain't Dead, featured Kendrick Lamar on the track "Jealous." In 2017, Santana released a pair of mixtapes, Plugged In and Fredo Kruger 2.
Fredo Santana has died. The Chicago drill rapper born Derrick Coleman, who released songs alongside artists such as Kendrick Lamar and Migos, passed away following a seizure, as TMZ reports. He was 27 years old. Santana was also the cousin of fellow Chicago artist Chief Keef; he was referenced in the lyrics for Keef’s breakout single “I Don’t Like” (“Fredo in the cut, that’s a scary sight”) and subsequently signed to Keef’s Savage Squad Records. He most recently released the mixtape Fredo Kruger 2 in the fall of last year. In 2013, Santana became known to wider audiences after making an appearance in Drake’s “Hold On, We’re Going Home” video.
Last fall, Santana was hospitalized for kidney and liver failure. In an Instagram post uploaded at the time, he announced the news and thanked fans for their support.
