How did Prodigy die? Havoc pays tribute to rapper on the anniversary of his death

Albert Johnson, better known as Prodigy, the one-half of the duo Mobb Deep with Havoc, died on June 20, 2017, after choking on an egg, as confirmed by a coroner. Havoc took to Instagram on June 20 to pay tribute to the late rapper. Havoc posted a series of photos with his late partner and wrote a caption that read:

"Missing my brother. Today marks 7 years, feels like just yesterday we were rocking them stages and reflecting on our journey."

Prodigy and Havoc formed the hip-hop duo Mobb Deep based in Queens, back in 1991.

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Rapper and songwriter Prodigy and Havoc had been a successful hip-hop duo

Havoc and Prodigy were an iconic duo as Mobb Deep in the hip-hop industry, who sold about three million records while influencing the hip-hop scene of their time.

Before his death, Prodigy was hospitalized for sickle cell anemia flare-up during a performance in Las Vegas. During the incident, the rapper was on a tour alongside several other artists, including Ghostface Killah, Onyx, KRS-One, and Ice-T.

However, reportedly because of accidental choking, the rapper died at a hospital in Las Vegas. Billboard reported that because of soaring temperatures in the Nevada city back then, which went up to 110 degrees Fahrenheit, the rapper's situation further worsened.

Mobb Deep then released a statement post the rapper's death that read,

"It is with extreme sadness and disbelief that we confirm the death of our dear friend Albert Johnson, better known to millions of fans as Prodigy of legendary NY rap duo Mobb Deep. We would like to thank everyone for respecting the family’s privacy at this time."

In the recently posted photos on Instagram by Havoc, one photo showed the duo in their childhood. HotNewHipHop reported that the two were not just partners, but also childhood buddies. After the rapper passed away in 2017, Havoc told TMZ,

"I’m still f**ked up. I can’t even listen to 'Shook Ones' or any songs. I can hardly look at the pictures... [we] met when I was 15. I’m 43 right now.. I still can’t believe it."

Since the rapper's death, Havoc has continued his legacy and has paid tributes to him. Back in 2023, Havoc announced the launch of a new Mobb Deep album, which would contain several unheard verses of the late rapper.