
The founder of WorldStarHipHop, Lee O’Denat, more popularly known as “Q,” has died at age 43, Billboard.com has confirmed. TMZ.com first reported the news, saying that he died in his sleep on Monday.
Q founded the premiere hip-hop website in 2005. Initially beginning as an outlet for mixtapes, the site quickly grew to not only include outrageous fight scenes but it also became a leading source of entertainment news.
An autopsy is scheduled for later Tuesday, although TMZ reported that a source informed them that Q died of a heart attack.
Members of the World Star team confirmed the news on Twitter, describing Q as a “devoted father and one of the nicest, most generous persons to ever grace this planet.”
We ask that you remember Q in your prayers and raise a toast to the sky in his name. RIP pic.twitter.com/ixsULQil32
— WORLDSTARHIPHOP (@WORLDSTAR) January 24, 2017
For all the backlash that the site has received from the Black community, Q was able to establish WSHH as one of the leading entertainment sites right when the Internet boom was taking off. Industry peers and friends flocked to social media to share their condolences.
#RIP to Q, the founder of @WORLDSTAR. Our thoughts and prayers are with your family, friends and fans. pic.twitter.com/crs9VvSwnW
— DatPiff (@DatPiff) January 24, 2017
Prayers going out to the @WORLDSTAR fam RIP @QWorldStar pic.twitter.com/6wkyh4jRuJ
— All Def Digital (@AllDefDigital) January 24, 2017
— Elliott Wilson (@ElliottWilson) January 24, 2017
1) W/e your personal opinions are of #WorldStar, that platform changed how Hip-Hop culture viewed the media landscape & consumed content.
— Rashad (@RashadDrakeford) January 24, 2017
2) Founded in 2005, think about all of the platforms and sites that followed their blueprint.
— Rashad (@RashadDrakeford) January 24, 2017
3) It truly became the CNN of the hood where we see the great, the good, the bad and the ugly.
— Rashad (@RashadDrakeford) January 24, 2017
4) #Q built something that became a pillar in our culture and for that, I take my hat off to him. Rest In Peace, Lee “Q” O’Denat. (End)
— Rashad (@RashadDrakeford) January 24, 2017