He won a scholarship to the Fieldston School in the Bronx where he was one of five black students in a class of 100. He went to Lincoln University in Pennsylvania.
Was HIV positive and had a cocaine addiction.
He was born in Chicago, Illinois but raised in Tennessee and New York. His mother was a librarian and English teacher. His estranged father was a Jamaican soccer player.
He was a longtime resident of Harlem in New York City.
On his work inspiring rap: I don't know if I can take the blame for it.
On his music: It's something that's aimed at the kids. I have kids, so I listen to it. But I would not say it's aimed at me. I listen to the jazz station.