"Rapper Guru, who rose to fame with hip-hop outfit GangStarr, has died aged 43 after a long battle with cancer.
The MC, whose real name was Keith Elam, suffered a cardiac arrest in February after surgery to treat the disease and briefly lapsed into a coma.
A statement released by his PR company contained a letter purportedly written by Guru in his final days.
"I have suffered with this illness for over a year," he wrote. "I have exhausted all medical options."
"I write this with tears in my eyes, not of sorrow but of joy for what a wonderful life I have enjoyed and how many great people I have had the pleasure of meeting."
According to the statement posted on the Yo! Promotions website Guru had tried to "keep his harrowing diagnosis private" and died on the morning of Monday, 19 April."