New Zealand hip hop artist Louie Knuxx has died in Melbourne

New Zealand hip hop artist Louie Knuxx has died while running in Melbourne at the age of 42, with the coroner set to investigate.

Otherwise known as Todd Williams, the Kiwi rapper died while running in the city around 10:30am on Friday, August 13th, as per Stuff. His brother Matthew Williams said that his death has been referred to the coroner. “He was my best friend, as well as my brother,” Matthew said in tribute.

Tributes have already started on social media for Knuxx, including from fellow musicians like David Dallas. “Things like this happen and memories start flooding back,” he said in a Twitter post. Will miss my mate.” The rapper PNC also remembered him on Twitter: “Todd was the first dude I really hung with when I moved to Auckland. Held me down when I was a fish out of water. We came up together. Wild nights and infinite laughs. Will sink a Black Heart, and reminisce on all the good times my bro. Much love.”

Williams had been living in Melbourne for the past three years. During this time he directed the Chin-Up Project with Mathew, a primary intervention programme that works with at-risk youth. The project offers mentoring and support through a variety of methods including hip hop narrative therapy.

His music career started out with the New Plymouth hip hip crew Dirtbag District before linking up with Break-in Wreckwordz and then Young, Gifted and Broke. Knuxx first rose to fame for his debut album Wasted Youth, which was released in 2006 to critical acclaim. He followed that up with Progressive Gangsta Thug/Gentleman Romance Rap (PGT/GRR) in 2014 and Tiny Warm Hearts in 2016. Before releasing his second album in Melbourne, he was a youth worker in Taranaki and Auckland.

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