Gene ‘Groove’ Allen, a rapper and actor best known as a member of Groove B. Chill, has passed away. He was aged 62.
The artist was most widely recognised for his role as one-third of the rap trio, and news of his death was shared by TMZ last week.
According to the outlet, the update was shared by one of Allen’s family members and the musician died at his home in Maryland on Wednesday (February 12). Details about the cause of death have not been shared, although TMZ states that it was the result of a medical emergency.
Raised in Long Island, New York, Allen started his time in the music industry back in the ‘80s by forming his first group The Uptown Crew. He would later splinter off with Daryl ‘Chill’ Mitchell and Belal ‘DJ Belal’ Miller to form the band he is most recognised for: Groove B. Chill.
The trio were put on the map with their first and only studio album, ‘Starting From Zero’, which arrived in 1990 and constrained tracks like ‘Hip Hop Music’ and ‘There It Is’.
That same year, the trio made the shift into film and television too – first taking on roles in the House Party comedy movie. Both Allen and Mitchell would also return for their roles the following year for the sequel, House Party 2.
Other acting roles that Allen took on throughout the decade included an appearance in the award-winning Tina Turner biopic, What’s Love Got To Do With It, which arrived in 1993, and the 1992 film Boomerang.
Since then, the actor and rapper has turned his sights to charity work, reportedly spending his time raising funds to help military veterans and their families. He has also done a lot of work to spread awareness and raise money for women’s shelters.
Billboard highlights that he did tease a return to the music industry earlier this year. This came as he took to Instagram to suggest that a new EP titled ‘Bring Back the Party’ was in the works. “2025!!! I ain’t playing…” he wrote in the caption, while the video saw him rapping along to the track ‘Let It Breath’.
“R.I.P. to one of Hip Hop’s most underrated harmonies. The precursor to Nate Dog,” one follower wrote in the comment section following news breaking of his death.
Another shared: “My best friend and mentor. I heard the news and I’m broken. RIP to a legend who inspired me to keep going for mine,” while a third added: “ Thank you for sharing your God-gifts of talent with us. Rest in the arms of the Most High.”
