The cause of death for rapper Chino XL, who died suddenly on July 28 at the age of 50, was revealed on Friday.
The family of Chino XL, whose real name was Derek Keith Barbosa, revealed that the rapper died by suicide, while the Ventura County Medical Examiner’s office lists his official cause of death as asphyxia as a result of ligature hanging, according to a report by TMZ.
“With the most profound sadness imaginable, we share the news that our beloved father decided to end his own Life,” the family wrote. “It’s been the most painful and personal experience of our lives but in honor of Suicide Awareness Month, we decided to share this truth.”
“Dad would hope that this news may help someone else stay alive,” Chino XL’s family added.
The “No Complex” rapper reportedly battled lifelong depression and had been diagnosed with congenital heart failure in 2020. These details appeared to be unknown to his fans, as the rapper does not appear to have ever discussed the issues publicly.
Chino XL’s daughters, Chynna, Bella, Lyric, and Kiyana, also said in a statement, “Our father was our rock and our best friend. Papa Bear loved us and taught us so much.”
“Hundreds of emails, texts, chats and beautiful posts and comments on social media, have shown us that Dad was a fountain of strength to so many,” they continued. “He encouraged and comforted pretty much everyone in his path and left this dimension with an untouchable creative legacy.”
“We are grateful beyond words for our time with Dad and are overwhelmed by the immeasurable global outpouring of love from around the world,” Chino XL’s daughter’s added. “We will forever navigate this catastrophic loss and ask for continued privacy.”
Fans now await the rapper’s upcoming posthumous album, scheduled for release next month.
Alana Mastrangelo is a reporter for Breitbart News. You can follow her on Facebook and X at @ARmastrangelo, and on Instagram.
