Rapper BeatKing, ‘Thick’ and ‘Crush’ hitmaker, dies at 39

Houston rapper BeatKing, known for the viral 2010 single “Crush” and the platinum-selling DJ Chose record “Thick,” has died. He was 39.
Also known as Club Godzilla, the rapper’s death was confirmed by his manager, Tasha Felder, on her unverified Instagram page Thursday.
“BeatKing has been the best part of the club for over a decade,” she wrote. “He has produced and worked with so many artists, that his sound will forever live. He loved his daughters @clubgodparenting, his music, and his fans. We will love him forever.”
Felder confirmed BeatKing’s death on Thursday from a pulmonary embolism in an email to USA TODAY Friday.
“He was at an Urban One (Radio One) station doing a morning takeover when he suddenly fainted,” Felder wrote. “He was taken to a near by (sic) hospital where he later passed away. His daughters were with him the entire time. It is truly sad, we loved him so much.”
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BeatKing rose to notoriety after the release of “Crush” in the summer of 2010 from his album “Kings of the Club” in 2011.
DJ Chose released the rap record “Thick” in July 2020. The single received a remix from fellow Houston native Megan Thee Stallion months later.
The rapper was also known for the records “Then Leave” with Queendom Come in 2020 and Erica Banks’ 2022 single “Toot That” with DreamDoll.
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A pulmonary embolism happens when a blood clot blocks blood flow to the lung’s artery, according to the Mayo Clinic.
The clot is formed in a deep vein, typically in the leg or, rarely, in another part of the body, and multiple clots can be involved. Because the lung cannot receive blood, parts of the organ may die and can make it difficult to receive oxygen.
Contributing factors to a pulmonary embolism include medical conditions such as heart disease and COVID-19, long periods of inactivity, smoking and obesity.
In the comments of Felder’s post, Memphis rap duo Three 6 Mafia wrote: “RIP MANE!!! GREAT BROTHER!!”
Other Houston natives paid tribute on social media, including Slim Thug, who posted the news on Instagram and wrote it’s a “sad day in the city,” and Lil Flip, who commented simply several “rock on” hand emojis in the comments of one of BeatKing’s pinned posts.
Houston legend Bun B posted an Instagram photo of BeatKing sharing prayers for his loved ones Thursday. “It’s always the good ones. … Just a great spirited person,” he wrote. “We lost a talented artist and father.”
And in an Instagram story shared Thursday, Atlanta rapper Lil Scrappy wrote: “Rip to my Brudda … @clubgodzilla I’m lost on this one.”