Legendary Tennessee rapper, Gangsta Boo, has passed away, per her rep’s confirmation. The Three 6 Mafia associate was only 43 years of age at the time of her death.
Born Lola Mitchell, the “Where Dem Dollas At?” rapper had been making headlines in recent months when she collaborated with fellow Memphis rapper GloRilla on Latto’s “FTCU,” also known as “F*ck The Club Up,” which borrowed from the infamous Three 6 Mafia song “Tear Da Club Up.” She provided ad libs on the song, making it one of her last contributions to hip hop alongside her single “Big Momma,” released in October 2022.
Gangsta Boo also made waves appearing on WE TV’s Marriage Boot Camp: Hip Hop Edition in early 2022. Participating on the television series with her longtime partner, Emmet Flores, her time on the show abruptly ended when the production team discovered a “baggie with a white powdery substance” in their designated room. Dr. Ish was filmed confronting Gangsta Boo who vehemently denied the implication that she was using.
Forever embedded in the music landscape of Memphis, TN, Gangsta Boo has been rapping since she was 14. She first was featured on Three 6 Mafia’s 1995 album Mystic Stylez, which was followed up with Chapter 1: The End (1996) and Chapter 2: World Domination (1997).
Her solo career took off with the release of her 1998 album Enquiring Minds, charting on the Billboard charts with the single, “Where Dem Dollas At?” Later, she would chart again with the albums Both Worlds *69 (2001) and Enquiring Minds II: The Soap Opera (2003). Her discography is extensive with mixtapes, collaborative projects, and features, including a joint album with Memphis artist La Chat called Witch.
Preliminary reports of Gangsta Boo’s cause of death point to an overdose that occurred at her Memphis home on Sunday, Jan. 1, 2023. However, an official autopsy report has yet to be released to the public.
In a Billboard interview, Gangsta Boo admitted that she was finally coming to a point in her career where she felt empowered enough to take ownership of her influence on hip hop and the legacy of female rappers.
“I used to didn’t want to even give myself flowers because I’ve been so low-key and humble, but I’m on some f**k that sh*t,” Gangsta Boo said. “It’s time to claim what’s mine. I’m one of the main b*****s. And it feels fun to still be able to look good and be relevant in a place where I don’t have this million-dollar machine behind me and I have my natural body parts, no shade to the ones that don’t. But it just feels great to stand in yourself and look in the mirror and be like, “Wow, you did that.” And not sell your soul and go to bed at night with a smile on your face.”
