'Fugees' producer John Forté found dead in Massachusetts at 50

[Stephan Bobb]

'Fugees' producer John Forté found dead in Massachusetts at 50

USA TODAY

Jan. 13, 2026 Updated Jan. 14, 2026, 6:32 p.m. ET

Grammy-nominated R&B singer John Forté has died at age 50, police said.

The rapper and producer was found dead Monday afternoon, Jan. 12, in his home in Chilmark, Massachusetts, Chilmark Police Chief Sean Slavin confirmed to USA TODAY Jan. 13.

Officials found no signs of foul play or a "readily apparent cause of death," Slavin said in a statement. The state's medical examiner is currently investigating the case.

A collaborator of groups "The Fugees" and "Refugee Camp All-Stars," Forté worked on tracks like "Family Business" and "Cowboys." At age 21, he landed a Grammy nomination in the prestigious album of the year category for his writing and production work on the Fugees’ 1996 album "The Score."

Through collaborations with rapper Wyclef Jean, Forté lent his talents to tracks such as "We Trying to Stay Alive" and "Street Jeopardy."

By 1998, he kicked off a solo career with a debut album titled "Poly Sci," and in 2001, he dropped a follow-up called "I, John."

Forté served seven years of a 14-year prison sentence following a 2000 arrest at Newark International Airport and conviction of possession of liquid cocaine and drug trafficking. President George W. Bush later commuted the sentence in 2008.

The New York native is survived by his wife, photographer Lara Fuller, and their two children.