The hip-hop community is mourning the loss of rapper and producer DJ Unk, who has passed away at the age of 43. 

The Atlanta-based artist, born Anthony Leonard Platt, gained fame in the mid-2000s with his contributions to Southern hip-hop, particularly within the ‘crunk’ music subgenre.

His wife Sherkita Long-Platt shared the heartbreaking news on Facebook Friday afternoon, writing, ‘Please respect me and my family. I just lost my husband and my kids just lost their father. Our life will never be the same. I LOVE YOU ANTHONY FOREVER.’

DJ Unk’s career reached a pinnacle with his 2006 breakout hit Walk It Out from his debut album Beatin’ Down Yo Block. 

It also sparked a viral dance craze, with fans adopting the ‘Walk It Out’ dance.

Following the success of Walk It Out, DJ Unk released his second album, The 69 Boyz (2007), which featured the hit single 2 Step.

The hip-hop community is mourning the loss of rapper and producer DJ Unk, who has passed away at the age of 43

The Atlanta-based artist, born Anthony Leonard Platt, gained fame in the mid-2000s with his contributions to Southern hip-hop, particularly within the ‘crunk’ music subgenre

While it didn’t achieve the same mainstream success as his debut, it helped solidify DJ Unk’s place within the Southern hip-hop scene.