Overview
- Black Ice, born Lamar Manson, was reported dead on Thursday, July 23, 2026, and multiple outlets corroborated the news.
- No cause of death has been publicly disclosed as of the latest reports.
- Peers including Russell Simmons, Jill Scott, Toni Blackman, and Jessica Care Moore posted tributes praising his stage presence and cultural influence.
- He rose from the Philadelphia spoken-word scene to national prominence through five seasons on HBO’s Def Poetry Jam and the Tony-winning Def Poetry Broadway run.
- Beyond television and theater, he released the 2006 album The Death of Willie Lynch, worked with hip-hop artists and producers, and spent later years teaching and mentoring young writers.