Calvin LeBrun, also known as DJ Mister Cee, has died at the age of 57, his family announced Wednesday.
Mister Cee made a name for himself as one of the city’s most prominent DJs — from being the official DJ for Big Daddy Kane to discovering Notorious B.I.G.
According to his official profile, he also played a role in launching the careers of Drake, Jay-Z, Alicia Keys, 50 Cent and others.
Hot 97 issued a statement, saying in part, “We’re deeply saddened by the passing of our beloved Mister Cee. He wasn’t just a DJ; he was a pillar of our stations, bringing joy to countless listeners.”
Mister Cee’s long-running “Throwback at Noon” show became one of the most listened to programs on city radio at Hot 97.
At the time of his death, he was working for Audacy’s 94.7 The Block in New York.
Skip Dillard, the brand manager of 94.7 The Block, said colleagues knew something was wrong when the station did not receive his next show.
“It wasn’t like him to not send in his show and within two hours we found out he was gone,” Dillard said.
Born and raised in Bedford-Stuyvesant, he was an icon in the industry.
“Mister Cee was a man that was 100% about the music, about the music period,” radio personality Fred Bugsy Buggs, who worked closely with Mister Cee, said.
He was a force in the industry. Ten years ago, he went viral after announcing he was gay.
Those who knew him say he will not just be remembered for his music but remembered for the joy he brought to those around him.
“He was such a livewire. The kind of person where [if] he believed in something, [he would say] ‘I don’t give a damn what the argument was.’ He was going to ride on his beliefs,” Buggs said.
“I’ll miss his sense of humor. I’ll miss his guidance. I mean, he was laways one who had sense of calm in the midst of chaotic times," Dillard said.