That's a shocker. I knew he was ill, but always a shock when one of yr favourite artists or sportspeople dies - especially when they are younger then you.
I saw Gang Starr once and Jazzmatazz once. Really good and Gifted Unlimited Rhymes Universal did a great job at raising the profile of jazz for those of us into hip hop.
RIP indeed, very sad, a legend of his chosen genre and only 43 - Step In The Arena is a classic hip hop album, as is the first Jazzamatazz one - execution of a chump is one of my all time hip hop tunes.
He even leant a had to our local WA hip hop crew Downsyde's last album.