John Forté, the Grammy-nominated musician known for his work with the Fugees and the Refugee Camp All-Stars among others, has died at age 50. He was found dead Monday afternoon in his home in Chilmark, Massachusetts, according to police.
Chilmark Police Chief Sean Slavin said in a statement that there were no signs of foul play or “readily apparent cause of death.” The case is being investigated by the state medical examiner’s office, according to Slavin.
A native of New York City, Forté was a musical prodigy who broke through in his early 20s as a contributor to the Fugees’ Grammy-winning The Score and to Wyclef Jean’s Grammy-nominated The Carnival. A multi-instrumentalist and rapper, he also released such solo albums as Poly Sci and I John, with contributors including Carly Simon, whose son, Ben Taylor, was a close friend of Forté’s.
In 2000, he was arrested at Newark International Airport and charged with possession of liquid cocaine and drug trafficking. Forté was sentenced to 14 years in prison, but the sentence was commuted after seven years by President George W. Bush. Simon was among many public figures who advocated for his release.
Survivors include his wife, the photographer Lara Fuller, and two children.
