Grammy-winning producer Sidney Brown, who had worked with stars like Drake, Lil Wayne and Beyoncé, was found dead in his East Harlem apartment last week. He was 49.
The hitmaker, who went by the moniker “Omen” in the music industry, was discovered by a family member on Sept. 13, his mother Martha Brown confirmed to TMZ.
Brown’s “cause and manner of death are pending further study,” the city’s Office of Chief Medical Examiner said in a statement.
His loved ones went to check on him after employees raised the alarm when he didn’t show up for his scheduled gig as a DJ at Barawine Harlem, where he worked for more than a decade, on W 120th St.
“He was holistic and healthy. So we don’t know of him being sick, so this is all pretty sudden,” his sister Nicole Iris Brown, 43, told NBC News.
“I hope people will remember that he was willing to help the younger generation. He was always big on helping younger people start their careers and get themselves into the game. It was about just the music, no matter who the artist was.”
Brown’s workplace wrote a heartfelt tribute to the producer following the sad news, writing, “It is with shock and deep sadness we have heard about the passing of our dear friend Omen Sidney Brown.”
“Omen was part of Barawine’s team for over a decade bringing his unique talent to all. There are not enough words to express our feelings. Our thoughts and prayers go to his family, his friends and all who love him,” the wine bar concluded.
The native New Yorker stepped on the scene in the 1990s when he produced several tracks for artists, including Mýa and Fabolous, as well as others signed to the Roc-A-Fella music label, per All Hip Hop.
His big break came in 2006 after he produced Ludacris’ hit track “Tell It Like It Is” from the rapper’s album “Release Therapy.” The collaboration earned him a Grammy Award for Best Rap Album in 2007.
Brown went on to work with Canadian rapper Drake, co-producing his track “Shut It Down” from his debut 2010 album, “Thank Me Later.”
That same year, he produced rapper Lil Wayne’s track “I’m Single.”
In 2013, he co-wrote and co-produced Beyoncé’s song “Mine” that features Drake from her self-titled album.
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