Two months after publicly announcing he had colon cancer, Reggie “Combat Jack” Ossé has died.
The Root reported that the podcaster and former lawyer was 48 years old.
Ossé was a well-regarded attorney in the hip-hop community, mostly notably representing JAY-Z and Roc Nation and duo Capone-N-Noreaga in the 1990s. Highly regarded as a hip-hop historian, he later wrote for and became managing editor of The Source.
In 2010, he started his hit podcast The Combat Jack Show, where he gained new fans with his knowledge of hip-hop as a genre and a culture.
Spin reported that Ossé's peers and other hip-hop figures shared condolences on social media.
My heart is broken. Combat Jack was one of the kindest, most incredible people I knew. I tried to hire him 10x over the years, but he was smart enough to keep building his own empire. I loved that dude...I will really miss him. Thanks Reggie for your mentorship + friendship. RIP pic.twitter.com/XhWv7YaLEh
— Michael Skolnik (@MichaelSkolnik) December 20, 2017
reggie osse was one of the smartest and most helpful ppl i met in this game. he was my listener and i was his. and i hate to know he’s gone. r.i.p., @combat_jack.
— El Flaco (@bomani_jones) December 20, 2017
for me, personally, catching up with reggie was a moment to pause and reflect. did @CombatJackShow three times. each time was like catching up with an old homie who wanted to know what'd happened since we last spoke.
— El Flaco (@bomani_jones) December 20, 2017
except he always knew what had happened. he just wanted to celebrate it a bit. was looking forward to when i could take @PabloTorre with me and do it again. didn't realize we wouldn't get that chance. this is a sad one for a lot of us.
— El Flaco (@bomani_jones) December 20, 2017
Heartbreaking. RIP Reggie "Combat Jack" Osse. Great man, storyteller and leader. Your contributions to hip hop will never ever be forgotten. Ultimate salute. pic.twitter.com/McK0F9TvYp
— Elliott Wilson (@ElliottWilson) December 20, 2017
Hip Hop has lost one of its most important historians and voices... we had serious ups and downs but I was so happy we had made things good... Rest In Peace to my friend Combat Jack....
— Peter Rosenberg (@Rosenbergradio) December 20, 2017
I’m gutted at the news my friend Reggie Osse aka @Combat_Jack has passed away. No one Ive known loved Hip Hop more. He left lawyering to share his love with us all through his perfect hip hop podcast. Shedding a tear listening to our interview from 2012. https://t.co/a7bS20oe9n
— FAB 5 FREDDY (@FABNEWYORK) December 20, 2017
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