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Boo-Yaa T.R.I.B.E.’s Ganxsta Ridd has died of coronavirus

Ganxsta Ridd of the California rap group Boo-Yaa T.R.I.B.E. has died after succumbing to the coronavirus.

The death of the Samoan-American rapper, who had worked with the likes of Eminem, Cypress Hill‘s B-Real and Faith No More, was confirmed yesterday (December 5) by friend and fellow rapper Ice-T.

“I just woke up to the Terrible news,” Ice-T tweeted. “My very close homie ‘Gangsta Rid’ of Boo-Yaa Tribe passed away yesterday from Covid… So sad. My love and condolences go out to the family.”

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Born in the Los Angeles suburb of Carson, Ridd (real name Paul Devoux) formed the Boo-Yaa T.R.I.B.E. in the late ’80s along with his brothers Vincent, Donald, Danny, Ted, David and Roscoe Devoux.

They released their debut album ‘New Funky Nation’ in 1990, which combined rap and live instrumentation, which was something not really being done at the time. They would go on to release seven other albums, including 2003’s ‘West Koasta Nostra’ which featured the track ‘911’ with Eminem and B-Real.

In 2018, one of the group’s other members, Ted “Godfather” Devoux passed away at 55, although details surrounding his death were never revealed.

Tributes have poured in for Ganxsta Ridd on social media, including a second tweet from Ice-T, who wrote: “Unfortunately today my Twitter page is a Tribute to two brothers that are gone far to soon. ‘Godfather’ of Boo-Yaa Tribe.. Who recently died.. And his younger brother Gangsta Rid, who passed away yesterday from Covid.”

He added: “I’m speechless. Family to me and WestCoast Legends.”

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Tanoai Reed, the longtime stuntman for The Rock, wrote on Instagram: “Sending my deepest condolences to the whole Devoux Aiga and my BooYaa Tribe brothers. Rest easy my uso @ganxstaridd”

“Thank you for setting the stage for future generations of Pacific Island artists, and thank you for keeping me banging hard in the gym and getting me hyped before every football game. See you when we get there.”

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A post shared by Tanoai Reed (@samoanstuntman)

See more tributes below: