American rapper Fredo Santana, whose real name is Derrick Coleman, has died at age 27, according to a close friend. The Chicago rapper appeared in a Drake music video but was better known as a Chief Keef affiliate.
The rapper rose to prominence during the Chicago drill music era around 2012 along with Lil Durk, Young Chop, Chief Keef, and Lil Reese. The cause of death is yet to be confirmed; however, the Chicago rapper was hospitalized for liver and kidney failure last year in October, according to The Independent .
Fredo Santana revealed to his fans back in October that lean and other drugs almost took his life. Coleman tweeted that his friend Gino found him on the floor having a seizure and was considering going to rehab. He also posted a photo of himself lying in a hospital bed.
The late rapper also revealed that he suffered from PTSD and was running away from his demons.
“Hopefully I can be the face to [show] n***as to slow down [as] we got our whole life ahead of us f*k being rock stars gettin high I got ptsd,” he tweeted in October, referencing his hospitalization. “I was running from my old life tryna get high didn’t want to face them demons… I’m getting help I might just go to rehab.”
Fredo Santana grew up in a high-crime neighborhood in Chicago and was the older cousin of Chief Keef. Santana ran his independent label Savage Squad Records and released his first album in 2013.
The 27-year-old appeared in Drake’s music video for “Hold On, We’re Going Home.” He was also mentioned in Chief Keef’s breakout record Don’t Like .
Drake, Lil Durk, and DJ Akademics are among the celebrities paying their condolences. Fredo Santana’s cause of death is likely related to his liver and kidney issues. The rapper was reportedly rushed to a hospital where he died the next day.
Let one off in the air for fredo santana !! For life they cudnt stop that man SSR for life CHICAGO for life Chief Keef chop durk Reese Gino sd the whole Chicago what it do joe we living it up joe Chicago joe for life too fredo – Lil B
— Lil B THE BASEDGOD (@LILBTHEBASEDGOD) January 20, 2018
The saddest part about Fredo passing so young is that he has a newborn son that will never get to know his father. RIP
— DJ Vlad ?? (@djvlad) January 20, 2018
The rapper welcomed his first child with his girlfriend in June 2017. The proud father took many photos of his son and posted them on social media. Santana consistently released mixtapes and was working on new music when he died. He revealed to fans on Twitter that he completed seven songs on the upcoming mixtape Walking Legend 2.
Chief Keef is yet to respond to his cousin’s death on social media. Record producer and rapper Maxo Kream was one of the first to announce his death, according to multiple sources.