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T.C. Izlam, the former Minister of Information for the Zulu Nation and Hip-Hop veteran who walked with some of the culture’s masters, has died. According to sources close to him, T.C. Izlam was killed in Atlanta although details are largely scant at the moment.

HipHopDX reports:

Former Zulu Nation Minister of Information Grandmaster T.C. Izlam (real name Tony Bell) has been killed in Atlanta, according to prominent New York City Hip Hop promoter Van Silk and DJ Kevie Kev Rockwell. Through uncontrollable tears, Kevie Kev called Silk towards the end of one of his routine Facebook Live posts to tell him the tragic news.

“They killed T.C. Izlam, man,” Rockwell can be heard saying in the video. “They got him. They killed my man.”

T.C. Izlam, who coined the “Hip-Step” subset of Hip Hop, was considered a “little brother” to countless pioneers of the culture, including Kurtis Blow, Grand Mixer DXT, Kool Kyle and Kevie Kev, who all spoke to HipHopDX together on a conference call. While DJ Kool Red Alert was present for the phone call with DX, he was unable to gather his thoughts about T.C.’s passing because he was in shock. DXT gathered a few words to share about his late friend.

Grand Mixer DXT noted in the call with HHDX that he knew Izlam more as a community leader and his involvement with the Zulu Nation versus his life as a rapper and musical artist. All who joined in on the call sung Izlam’s praises in both his talent and community work, with the outlet noting Kool DJ Red Alert was on the call as well but was unable to contribute much due to the emotional state of things.

RIP, TC Izlam.

Photo: Facebook/Tony Bell