Trendsetting Rapper Gangsta Boo of Three 6 Mafia dies at 43

Trendsetting hip hop star and the only female member of the mega group Three 6 Mafia, Gangsta Boo, has reportedly died at the age of 43. Her labelmate DJ Paul confirmed her death on Sunday, Jan. 1.

Born Lola Chantrelle Mitchell in Memphis, Tennessee, Mitchell was counted among the female pioneers in the heavily male-dominated genre.

In the 1990s, Mitchell teamed with DJ Paul, Juicy J, Lord Infamous, Crunchy Black, Koopsta Knicca and others to form Three 6 Mafia. She helped the group form an identity that resonated throughout the world with records “Mystic Stylez’,” “Chapter 1,” and “Choice.”

Mitchell later teamed with artists like OutKast, Eminem, Foxy Brown, and Lil Jon. After leaving Three 6 Mafia, Mitchell released her first solo album, “Enquiring Minds,” in 1998.

The disc reached No. 15 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and number 46 on the Billboard 200, with the hit song “Where Dem Dollas At!?”

In 2001, she released her second album, “Both Worlds *69,” reaching the eighth spot on the R&B/Hip-Hop chart and 29 on the Billboard 200.

Though her third studio album, “Enquiring Minds II: The Soap Opera,” failed to achieve the same success as her previous releases, the record did reach No. 24 on the Independent Albums chart.

In 2015 Mitchell released the mixtape, “Candy, Diamond & Pills,” which catapulted her to the forefront of the underground hip-hop scene. She then toured with Killer Mike and El-P, playing sold-out shows across the United States on their “Run The World Tour.”

Following the tour, Mitchell set the music world on fire with an epic Verzuz battle in which she reunited with Three 6 Mafia to battle Bone Thugs-n-Harmony.

“Rest In Peace To Legendary Female Rapper Gangsta Boo From Memphis Tenn,” tweeted famed DJ Mister Cee. “She was one of the female rappers from the South that set the trends for so many others to come after her. This is a huge loss for Memphis.”

Singer K. Michelle also joined a long list of artists, fans, and others to pay tribute. “You already know what it is,” K. Michelle tweeted. “We [are] forever. Broke my whole heart, today sis. I love you.”

Stacy M. Brown is an NNPA Newswire senior national correspondent.