Died On This Date (June 11, 2024) Françoise Hardy / Popular 1960s French Singer

Françoise Hardy
January 7, 1944 – June 11, 2024

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As reported by Joe Taysom in Far Out Magazine, renowned French singer-songwriter Françoise Hardy has passed away at the age of 80, following a prolonged illness.

Hardy stands as one of France’s most celebrated cultural icons. Born in Paris in 1944, near the end of World War II, she emerged as a key figure in the 1960s yé-yé movement. Her distinctive voice left an indelible mark on music, seamlessly transitioning from poignant adolescent ballads to sophisticated pop classics. Even in her later years, her work, such as the 2018 album Personne d’Autre, remained emotionally resonant and captivating.

Hardy burst onto the scene at 18 with her debut single, “Tous les garçons et les filles,” in 1962, followed by her self-titled debut album. Her musical prowess garnered admiration from contemporaries like Bob Dylan and established her as a French icon. Her influence extended beyond music, as she appeared in films such as Roger Vadim’s Château en Suède and Jean-Luc Godard’s Masculin féminin, though music always remained her true passion.

Beyond her artistic achievements, Hardy also became a muse for influential fashion designers, including Yves Saint Laurent and Paco Rabanne, further cementing her status as a cultural icon. In recognition of her contributions to French culture, Hardy was awarded the Grande Médaille De La Chanson Française in 2006, a prestigious honor given to a select few.

Hardy married fellow musician Jacques Dutronc in 1981, and the couple remained together until her death. In her later years, Hardy was candid about her health struggles. Diagnosed with MALT lymphoma in 2005, she faced significant health challenges and a gradual decline. In 2018, she was further diagnosed with a tumor in her ear.

In a 2021 interview with Femme Actuelle, Hardy revealed that she could no longer sing due to her health issues, stating, “My physical suffering has already been so terrible that I am afraid that death will force me to go through even more physical suffering.” Françoise Hardy’s legacy as a multifaceted artist and cultural icon will endure, remembered for her contributions to music, film, and fashion, and for her courageous openness about her personal battles.

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Died On This Date (June 3, 2024) Brother Marquis / 2 Live Crew Rapper

Brother Marquis (Born Mark D. Ross)
April 4, 1966 – June 3, 2024

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As reported by Greg Evans at Deadline, Brother Marquis, the iconic rapper and longtime member of the legendary hip-hop group 2 Live Crew, has passed away – currently of unknown causes – at the age of 58.

2 Live Crew was founded in 1984 in Riverside, California, but it wasn’t until they relocated to Miami and Brother Marquis, born Mark D. Ross, joined in 1986 that the group solidified its most famous lineup. Alongside Christopher Wong Won (Fresh Kid Ice), Luther Campbell (Luke Skyywalker), and David Hobbs (Mr. Mixx), Brother Marquis helped propel the group to new heights. This lineup achieved widespread fame and influence in the late 1980s and early 1990s, reaching a pinnacle with the 1989 album As Nasty as They Wanna Be. The album was both celebrated for its groundbreaking explicit content and heavily criticized, drawing condemnation from commentators and law enforcement.

In 1990, the group faced legal trouble when a Florida undercover police officer attended one of their performances, resulting in misdemeanor obscenity charges against three members, including Brother Marquis. The jury ultimately found them not guilty. Around the same time, a court ruling declared As Nasty as They Wanna Be legally obscene, marking the first instance in U.S. history where an album received such a designation. This ruling was later overturned on appeal.

Ross was born on April 4, 1966, in Rochester, New York. He spent time in both Los Angeles and Miami before joining 2 Live Crew in 1986. His debut with the group was on their album The 2 Live Crew Is What We Are. He also contributed to their subsequent albums, Move Somethin’ (1988), As Nasty As They Wanna Be (1989), Banned in the U.S.A. (1990), and As Nasty as They Wanna Be Part II (1991).

2 Live Crew disbanded in the mid-1990s, but they reunited for tours in the 2000s and finally parted ways following the death of Fresh Kid Ice in 2017. After the group disbanded, Ross continued his musical career, appearing on various records. Notably, he collaborated with Ice-T on the track “99 Problems” from Ice-T’s 1993 album Home Invasion.

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