Louie Rankin dead: Teddy Bruckshot star and Grammy-winning musician 'dies in car crash'

Louie Rankin reportedly died following a car crash in Ontario, Canada, where he had been shooting a movie yesterday.

According to TMZ, the Grammy Award-winning artist was reportedly involved in a crash with a transport truck and another vehicle. The cause of death has yet to be reported.

Rankin’s verified Twitter account confirmed news of his death, telling his 3,100 followers: “It saddens us to have to announce that The ‘ORIGINAL DON DADA’ ‘TRAIL BLAZER” the legend – Louie Ox Rankin passed away this morning!

“May God keep his soul with his father, sister and niece in heaven.”

Rankin’s last Instagram post was shared with his 72,000 followers just one day ago.

The clip showed him on set, along with the caption: “The Original Don DaDa on set. Shooting a major movie in Toronto.”

Rankin often went under stage names including The Original Don Dada, Ox, his character in Belly and Teddy Bruckshot, his character from Shottas.

The Jamaican-born actor and musician famously starred alongside Nas, 46, and DMX, 48, in crime drama Belly back in 1998.

He also appeared in Shottas in 2002 and We Run These Streets 2014.

Rankin won a Grammy Award in 1992 for his hit Typewriter.

The musician reunited with Nas in 2016, collaborating with him and DJ Khaled, 43, on Nas Album Done.

The dancehall star also released songs such as Don Doc, Showdown and Stretch Out.

In a previous interview with Hype Off Life, Rankin opened up about how he got into music.

“Music is something that I always wanted to be ever since I was a little kid,” he said.

The star recalled “putting little songs together” around the age of 10 when he was living in Jamaica.

“Before I leave Jamaica I was working in dancehall. It inspired me and made me want to work more because I realised that I had the talent,” he continued.

In 1985, he started to gain traction with radio airplay and continued to play dance halls.

“I dominated the ‘80s in dancehall,” he said.

It was Typewriter which launched Rankin to wider fame in the early ‘90s and got him a major recording contract.

It was after his third studio album he got started in movies.

source: express.co.uk