What was Big Pokey’s cause of death? US rapper dies aged 48 after on-stage collapse

Sad news reached us on Sunday as it was announced that Texan rapper Big Pokey had passed away, at the age of 48. The artist, real name Milton Powell, was one of the original members of the influential Houston hip-hop collective Screwed Up Click and went on to forge a successful solo career.

Big Pokey collapses on stage

The first concerns were raised on Saturday as Big Pokey collapsed while on stage in Beaumont, around 80 miles from his home city. Fans shared their videos of the moment on social media at the same time as the artist was rushed to hospital where he later died.

Lil’ Flip, another Houston rapper who was due to perform alongside Big Pokey soon, shared details with Fox of the tragic unfolding moments.

“He text me again saying okay they’re doing CPR, and then he said they taking him to the hospital... and I guess he was saying it was cardiac arrest. I [then] get a text from somebody, and they were like ‘Man, y’all were supposed to do the June 27 show coming up.’ I’m reading the text and I’m like ‘Why are y’all saying ‘y’all were supposed to’’?”

RIP Big Pokey: cause of death tbc

The publicist of the late rapper shared the following statement.

“It is with deep sadness that we share the news of the passing of our beloved Milton ‘Big Pokey’ Powell. Big Pokey passed away on June 18, 2023. He was well-loved by his family, his friends, and his loyal fans. In the coming days, we will release information about his celebration of life and how the public can pay their respects. We ask that you respect his family and their privacy during this difficult time. Big Pokey will forever be ‘The Hardest Pit in the Litter.’”

At the time of writing the cause of Big Pokey’s death is unknown, awaiting the autopsy report. We will update this article once that becomes available.