John Forté, the artist and producer known for being a part of the Rufugee Camp All-Stars, was found deceased at his home on January 12, 2026 at the age of 50. The Brownsville, Brooklyn native studied the violin as a child, becoming a fan of classical music and he described this training as a life-changing moment. He attended Phillips Exeter Academy in New Hampshire and graduated in 1993. His return to New York City included becoming a music business major at NYU where Talib Kweli was his roommate. He dropped out of NYU and took a job in A&R for indie rap label Rawkus. The time he spent on the New York hip-hop scene gave him access to Gang Starr and he learned how to make beats watching DJ Premier and Guru as they recorded Step in the Arena. He met Lauryn Hill and became acquainted with The Fugees. Forté became a Grammy-nominated artist at age 21 for his songwriting and production work on The Fugees’ 1996 album, The Score. He frequently collaborated with group member Wyclef Jean and he appeared on his 1997 Carnival album. Jean produced Forté’s critically acclaimed 1998 debut solo album, Poly Sci. In 2000 he was arrested at Newark International Airport for being in possession of a briefcase of liquid cocaine. He recorded his sophomore album, I, John, while he was on trial. Herbie Hancock, Tricky, Esthero, and Carly Simon had guest appearances on the project. Simon would advocate for Forté and helped him get out of prison earlier than his 14-year sentence, which was commuted by President George W. Bush in 2008.
Forté started recording music again and had songs in the movies Just Wright, Night Catches Us, and Stomp The Yard 2: Homecoming. He toured Russia with his band and released one EP and three albums. Vessels, Angels & Ancestors, released in 2021, was a response to the murders of Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, and Ahmad Arbery. Forté scored music for the six-part documentary Eyes On The Prize III that debuted on HBO in 2025 and Kerouac’s Road: The Beat of a Nation. In 2016, he made Martha’s Vineyard his permanent home. When he wasn’t making music, he doted on family life with his wife and two children and someone has created a GoFundMe for them.
