Beloved “30 Rock” Actor Grizz Chapman Passes Away at 52: A Tribute to His Legacy

Grizz Chapman, cherished by 30 Rock enthusiasts for his recurring role as a character sharing his name, has tragically passed away at 52.

The actor’s death occurred on Friday, as confirmed by his longtime representative, Saideh A. Brown, who did not reveal the cause of death.

Chapman is survived by his wife of 24 years, Diana, and their two children. The family is reportedly heartbroken by this sudden loss, according to a report from TMZ.

A relative has shared on social media that Chapman passed away in his sleep after enduring years of health challenges and receiving dialysis treatments.

On 30 Rock, his character was portrayed as a childhood friend and later an assistant to the character played by Tracy Morgan, a satirical reflection of the comedian himself.

Along with being a loyal adjutant to Tracy, the character Grizz has a sordid past with Tina Fey’s character Liz Lemon – and the occasional liaison with her in the present. 

Grizz Chapman, who was beloved by fans of 30 Rock for his recurring role as a character called Grizz, has died at the age of just 52; pictured in 2015 

Chapman on a grand total of 80 episodes of 30 Rock, from the smash hit NBC sitcom’s first season in 2006 to its final season in 2013

Born in 1974 in Brooklyn, the real Grizz Chapman was working as a strip club bouncer when he first encountered the real Tracy Morgan. 

He went onto appear on a total of 80 episodes of 30 Rock, from the smash hit NBC sitcom’s first season in 2006 to its final season in 2013.

Grizz and a character called Dot Com, who was played by Kevin Brown, served as the idiosyncratic entourage of Morgan’s character Tracy Jordan. 

In the midst of his run on the show, Chapman underwent a kidney transplant in 2010 after having to have dialysis three times a week, the Associated Press reported.

Chapman had initially been diagnosed with hypertension, which he ignored, and he discovered he had kidney disease years later. 

He announced in 2009 that he needed a transplant, noting the procedure would occur once he reduced his weight the requisite amount and a donor was found.

‘I’m a little nervous about the process,’ the married father of two said in an interview with CBS: ‘but I’m definitely willing and able.’

While he was on the waiting list, he had been asked on TV by Dr. Oz: ‘What’s your wish?’ and responded simply: ‘I wanna stay alive.’

Grizz and a character called Dot Com, who was played by Kevin Brown (left), served as the idiosyncratic entourage of Tracy Morgan’s character Tracy Jordan

He shared that ‘at some point’ he intended to ‘fix’ his health issues ‘if I can,’ noting that ‘I don’t wanna go through this forever, you know what I mean? But it’s definitely a scary situation and you just gotta face it, one way or another.’

After 30 Rock, he appeared on TV programs including Blue Bloods and The Blacklist as well as movies like the 2014 Adam Sandler comedy The Cobbler. 

He also launched his own sketch show on YouTube called the Grizz Chronicles, and featured on the Webby-winning channel We the Internet TV. 

As news of his death circulated Friday, Chapman was memorialized online by his cousin Donte ‘Hammer’ Harrison, who plays for the Harlem Globetrotters.

‘Life gave my cousin Grizz Chapman some heavy battles, but he fought them with strength and dignity until the very end,’ wrote Harrison.

Vaunting his ‘good heart’ and ‘good energy,’ Harrison shared that Chapman died ‘peacefully in his sleep’ following ‘years of fighting illness and dialysis.’

Harrison added: ‘I’m thankful we got time to reconnect 2 months before his passing. Rest easy, cousin. Your name and legacy will live on forever.’