John Forté at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2025. | Credit: Theo Wargo/Getty
Grammy-nominated musician and producer John Forté was found dead at his home in Chilmark, Massachusetts, on Monday, sending shockwaves through both the hip-hop community and the close-knit Martha’s Vineyard area where he lived for many years. Police were dispatched to his residence around 2:25 p.m. after receiving a report of an unresponsive man, and Forté was pronounced dead at the scene. Authorities have said there were no immediate signs of foul play, and the case has been referred to the Massachusetts State Police–Cape and Islands Detective Unit, pending further investigation by the State Medical Examiner’s Office in Sandwich.
A Key Creative Force Behind the Fugees
Born in Brooklyn’s Brownsville neighborhood on January 30, 1975, Forté showed an early passion for music, learning violin and later studying music business at New York University. It was there that he became close friends with fellow student Talib Kweli, a relationship that helped anchor him in the rising hip-hop scene of the 1990s. Forté later worked as an executive at Rawkus Records, a label known for shaping the careers of artists like Kweli, Mos Def, and Eminem.
His career took a pivotal turn after he heard an advance track from the Fugees’ debut album and described it as “weird” but “captivating.” After seeing the group perform in 1994, he connected with Lauryn Hill and went on to collaborate on the Fugees’ landmark album The Score. Forté was featured on standout tracks like “Cowboys” and “Family Business” and contributed to production on both. The album topped the Billboard charts in 1996 and won two Grammy Awards, cementing Forté’s place in hip-hop history.
Personal Struggles and a Focus on Family
Despite his success, Forté’s life also included major setbacks. He was arrested on drug possession charges in 2000 and received a 14-year prison sentence, which was later commuted by President George W. Bush in 2008. Throughout that period, musician Carly Simon and her son, Forté’s close friend Ben Taylor, advocated for his release. Reflecting on that support, Forté once said of Simon, “She was as scared and loving as any mom would be… She never wavered. Not one day.”
After returning to music and settling on Martha’s Vineyard, Forté married photographer Lara Fuller and became a father to two children, Wren and Hale. In 2024, he spoke about creating music with his family in mind, saying, “It feels like a time capsule for my children… I make music now that I really want my kids to like, when they’re able to receive it.”
As the investigation into his death continues, tributes are pouring in for an artist whose influence reached far beyond chart success. John Forté’s career was defined by creative collaboration, resilience, and reinvention, and his later years reflected a deep commitment to family and community. While his passing leaves many unanswered questions, his contributions to hip-hop and the lives he touched remain a powerful part of his enduring legacy.
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