Rapper Double K of the Los Angeles duo, People Under the Stairs, has died at the age of 43.
The news of Double K's death (born Michael Turner) first broke on Sunday. At the time of this report, Turner's cause of death has not been revealed. But his passing was confirmed through several social media tributes from close friends and collaborators.
Double K connected with his partner, Christopher "The Ones" Portugal, in 1997. The following year, they released their debut project, The Next Step. Since then, they created 15 albums and three compilation albums consisting of music that didn't make their studio projects. In 2019, they decided to formally disband by releasing their final project, Sincerely, The P.
During their career, People Under the Stairs was a staple in the Los Angeles underground hip-hop scene. They worked with everyone from George Clinton to Jurassic 5 and Hieroglyphics. They also had a hand in inspiring younger legendary acts like Mac Miller.
"It’s professional underground," Double K said when explaining the group's style and decision to only use a turntable and mixer when producing instrumentals. "No matter what we use, we’re never more than a step away from two turntables and a microphone. It’s homemade funk."
After learning of Double K's death, fans eulogized the underground hero on social media. Read the tweets below.
