Gangsta Boo, Pioneering Member of Three 6 Mafia, Dead at 43
Gangsta Boo, who’s real name was Lola Mitchell, was found dead in her home in Memphis.
Gangsta Boo, the pioneering Memphis rapper who came into the scene in the mid-'90s as one of the standout members of Three 6 Mafia, has died according to TMZ.
She was only 43.
DJ Paul from Three 6 Mafia seemingly confirmed the news on his Instagram, posting a photo of her. (There were comments from contemporaries like 2 Chainz and Lil Jon, who wrote that he was just with her a couple of weeks ago.
According to Fox 13 Memphis, Boo, who’s real name was Lola Mitchell was found dead in her home on Sunday, January 1st, at approximately 4 p.m. Details around her death are still unknown, but in newly aired interview with WREG Memphis, loved ones said the Mitchell didn’t die “as a result of foul play."
“She loved what she wanted to do, she had so many plans, so many dreams about what she wanted to do for 2023. I mean she told me about ’em 3 days ago,” Mitchell's close friend Delmar Lawrence told the outlet, also mentioning that the rapper had become depressed prior to her death.
“She lost her father and that was a very big blow for her,” Lawrence continued. “She was a daddy’s girl and it was many nights I prayed with her and just talked her through her grief. So I’m glad to know she’s at peace.”
He added, “The world only knew her gift. They didn’t know her heart, and she had the biggest heart and loved very hard, and her friends and family who know her they know that…”
Gangsta Boo was the second female rapper to be associated with Three 6 Mafia afterKay-9. She made her first appearance on the Mystic Stylez title track; at the time she recorded her voice she was only 15. From there her profile with the group would only grow, appearing on each Three 6 Mafia album in the '90s. She would release her debut, Enquiring Minds, in 1998. Three years later she dropped Both Worlds *69, which would be her last album under the Hypnotize Minds/Loud Records label. She would leave the group over issues with money and the direction the group was headed. Around this time, Boo embraced Christianity, leaving her explicit style behind, changing her name to Lady Boo.
At the time she spoke to MTV about her transformation, saying:
"[God] came to me... Half of my family is saved, and I didn't even realize that. He just always had a calling on me and I was kinda running from it. I was in and out of depression, and nobody was really around to take me away from that, so I would always end up praying to Him. I guess the stronger my prayer got, the more He was pulling on me."
In the early 2010s, Gangsta Boo would have a resurgence, using her original name. She put out countless projects— including a mixtape with fellow rap legend La Chat — and would appear on a number of features. Over the years she has done songs with Blood Orange, Run The Jewels, Junglepussy, and more.
This story was updated on Monday, January 2.