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NEW ORLEANS – After a brief illness and surgery, local rapper 5th Ward Weebie (Jerome Cosey) has died.

Weebie was a driving force in New Orleans’ Bounce music scene, producing such hits as “Let Me Find Out” and “Get Out the Way” along with a cathartic single about Hurricane Katrina.

He went on to record with Drake and other national acts, all the while carrying the torch of New Orleans music.

He was only 42 years old.

Mayor Cantrell issued the following statement on the death:

It broke my heart to learn that Jerome Cosey — our 5th Ward Weebie — has passed. Let me find out you didn’t know who he was. He was an iconic personality, a New Orleans legend, and a beloved friend. He was the Bounce King, who showed us how to move, how to love, and how to bring passion and humanity to everything we do,” said Mayor Cantrell. “New Orleans has lost a cornerstone of our culture. Our City will not be the same without his voice and his spirit. May he rest in God’s perfect peace.

Most recently he performed at Mayor Cantrell’s Black and Gold Pep Rally in the lobby of City Hall in advance of the New Orleans Saints’ game against the Saints’ 33-27 win over the Seattle Seahawks. You can watch the video here.