BRILLIANT LIGHT

Grammy-Nominated Musician Found Dead at 50 in Home

The artist broke through with his work on The Fugees’ “The Score.”

Grammy-nominated musician John Forté has died at the age of 50, police said. He was found at his home on Martha’s Vineyard on Monday afternoon, with no suggestions of foul play and no “readily apparent cause of death.” The father of two broke through with contributions to The Score by the Fugees and Wyclef Jean’s The Carnival, and also gained public recognition for his work as part of the Fugees-associated collective Refugee Camp All-Stars. The Brooklyn native collaborated with Carly Simon and released his own work, including Poly Sci and I John. In 2000, Forte was arrested and found in possession of liquid cocaine at Newark International Airport. His 14-year sentence, which was handed down after he was convicted of drug trafficking, was cut in half by President George W. Bush after public figures, including Simon, pushed for clemency. The Martha Vineyard Times reports he suffered a seizure last year and had been taking medication since. The local news site said, “Forté was beloved among the community of musicians on the Island, and anyone who came across his path remembers him as generous, empathetic, and brilliant.” He is survived by his children and wife, Lara Fuller.