Chris Kelly, 1990s kid rapper, dies

Chris Kelly, of the rap group Kris Kross, has died, according to authorities. The pair's biggest hit was "Jump," part of a 1992 album. They were know for their rap delivery as well as a gimmick of wearing their clothing backward.

By Staff,?Associated Press / May 1, 2013

Jermaine Dupri DJs at a Celebration of LA?s Music Industry at the Getty House in February in Los Angeles. Dupri is credited with discovering rappers Chris Kelly and Chris Smith of Kris Kross. Kelly died on Wednesday.

Todd Williamson/Invision/AP

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Chris?Kelly, half of the 1990s kid rap duo Kris Kross who made one of the decade's most memorable songs with the frenetic "Jump," has died, according to authorities.

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Investigator Betty Honey of the Fulton County Medical Examiner's office said Kelly?was pronounced dead around 5 p.m. local time Wednesday at the south campus of the Atlanta Medical Center.

Honey said authorities are unsure of?Kelly's?cause of death and that an autopsy has yet to be performed.

Kelly, known as "Mac Daddy," and?Chris?Smith, known as "Daddy Mac," were introduced to the music world in 1992 by music producer and rapper Jermaine Dupri after he discovered the pair in an Atlanta mall. The duo wore their clothes backward as a gimmick, but they won over fans with their raps.

Their first, and by far most successful song, was "Jump." The hit, off their multiplatinum 1992 debut album "Totally Krossed Out," featured the two trading versus and rapping the refrain, the song's title. The duo had surprising maturity in their rap delivery, though the song was written by Dupri. It would become a No. 1 smash in the United States and globally, and one of the most popular of that year.

Their success led to instant fame: They toured with Michael Jackson, appeared on TV shows, and even had their own video game.

The group was never able to match the tremendous success of their first song, though they had other hits like "Warm It Up," and "Tonite's tha Night."

Earlier this year, the group performed together to celebrate the anniversary of Durpri's label, So So Def.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/Ucme48TWde8/Chris-Kelly-1990s-kid-rapper-dies

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