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Nashawn Breedlove, who famously faced off against Eminem in a rap battle in “8 Mile,” died Sunday. He was 46.
The actor-rapper’s mother, Patricia Breedlove, announced his death in a Facebook post.
“Nashawn’s departure from this world has left an immense void in my life, one that words cannot fully express. I can’t put into words the pain and hurt that I feel,” she wrote. “He was not just my son; he was a remarkable man whose character and strength inspired all who crossed his path.”
A cause of death was not given, Rolling Stone reported. TMZ, which first reported the rapper’s death, said Breedlove died in his sleep in New Jersey.
Breedlove played the Lotto, a freestyle rapper in “8 Mile” who was a member of The Free World and heavily involved in Detroit’s hip-hop scene, according to Variety.
Lotto and Eminem’s character, Jimmy, or “B-Rabbit,” go head-to-head in a rap battle at the end of the film, the entertainment news website reported.
Breedlove performed as a rapper under the name of Ox, Entertainment Tonight reported. He once belonged to a group called The Now and appeared on the soundtrack for the 2001 movie, “The Wash,” which featured Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre and comedian George Wallace, according to the entertainment news website.
Rapper Mickey Factz posted a tribute to Breedlove on Instagram, Variety reported.
“RIP to one of the few emcee’s to beat Eminem,” Factz wrote. “Lotto from 8 Mile. Who’s friends lovingly called him, OX. You will be missed for your tenacity and aggressiveness.”
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