John Forte dead at 50: How a musical prodigy went from poverty to Fugees to prison to Martha's Vineyard

"As a child, John Forté was a violin prodigy from a bad part of Brooklyn who earned a scholarship to an exclusive private high school in the Northeast. His life took him from working as an A&R executive at an indie label to out-of-nowhere commercial success with the Fugees and then to disappointment as a solo artist. Then he was nabbed in a sting as he helped facilitate the transport of $1.4 million worth of liquid cocaine. He was 26 when he was convicted and sent to federal prison for 14 years."

"On Monday, Forté was found dead in his home in Chilmark, Mass., on Martha's Vineyard, the Associated Press reported. A neighbor found him unresponsive in his kitchen a little before 2:30 p.m. and called authorities, according to the MV Times. He was 50. He was also the recipient of a rare commutation from President George W. Bush, who in 2008 cut off Forté's sentence after seven years and sent him home to resume his musical career and create the family he had longed for at 23."

"The Chilmark police chief, Sean Slavin, told various outlets that there was no "readily apparent cause of death" but also no evidence of foul play. Forté's death is being investigated by the state medical examiner's office in Massachusetts, per the Vineyard Gazette. "This one hurts," Fugees founding member Wyclef Jean wrote Tuesday on social media with a video of himself and Forté performing an acoustic set. "my brother @john_Forté has joined the Angels legends never Die look at the smile R I P my Refugee brother.""

John Forté rose from Brownsville, Brooklyn, as a violin prodigy and earned a scholarship to an exclusive private high school. He worked as an A&R executive, achieved success with the Fugees, and later struggled as a solo artist. At 26 he was convicted for helping transport $1.4 million in liquid cocaine and sentenced to 14 years in federal prison. President George W. Bush commuted his sentence in 2008 after seven years. He was found dead at age 50 in his Chilmark, Massachusetts, home; police reported no apparent signs of foul play and the death is under investigation by the state medical examiner. Wyclef Jean posted an emotional tribute.

Read at Los Angeles Times