(Houston) Milton Powell, a Houston rapper known as the artist Big Pokey and credited with showcasing the local hip-hop scene, died after collapsing during a show in Texas, said a local official on Monday.
Jefferson County Justice of the Peace Tom Gillam III, where Milton Powell was performing when he collapsed on Sunday, said an autopsy was ordered to determine the cause of death. Milton Powell was 48 years old.
He was a member of the Houston rap collective Screwed Up Click, of which the late DJ Screw was also a member.
Big Pokey was performing at a bar in Beaumont called Pour09. The owner of the establishment, Min Dai, told the Houston Chronicle that police were on the scene and were able to provide “instant” medical aid before emergency services transported the rapper to hospital.
A statement on Milton Powell’s official Instagram page says he was “well loved by his family, friends and loyal fans”.
Tributes from other artists have been pouring in on social media.
Rapper Bun B called Milton Powell “one of the most naturally talented artists” in Houston.
“He showed up, did what he had to do and went home. One of the mainstays of our city,” Bun B said on Instagram.