John Forté, known for his close work with The Fugees, has died at the age of 50. Authorities confirmed he passed away on Monday at his home in Chilmark, Massachusetts, a small community located on Martha’s Vineyard.

Local police said his death was sudden, and the cause has not yet been determined. They also stated there is no indication of foul play, and nothing about the situation is being treated as suspicious.

View Instagram Post

data-instgrm-version=”14″ style=” background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% – 2px); width:calc(100% – 2px);”>

Forté was an important part of the 1990s Refugee Camp All-Stars, a creative collective tied closely to The Fugees. During that time, he worked side by side with Wyclef Jean on several projects that helped shape the group’s sound.

One of those efforts included “We Trying to Stay Alive,” which later became the first single from Jean’s solo debut album The Carnival. Forté also appeared on “Rumble in the Jungle,” collaborating with Busta Rhymes and A Tribe Called Quest.

Much of Forté’s recognition came from his writing and production work on The Fugees’ album The Score. Released in 1996, the record became a major commercial success and earned wide critical praise, helping Forté receive a Grammy nomination at just 21 years old.

Outside of The Fugees, Forté released his solo debut album Poly Sci in 1998. The project included guest appearances from DMX, Fat Joe, and Pras, followed in 2001 by I, John, which featured a duet with Carly Simon.

In 2000, Forté was arrested at Newark International Airport on charges related to liquid cocaine valued at $1.4 million. He received a 14 year prison sentence, which was later commuted in 2008 by George W. Bush after public support from several well-known figures.

Forté is survived by his wife, photographer Lara Fuller, and their two children.