Overview
- His death was confirmed by his son, Grammy-nominated producer Andrew “Pop” Wansel, who announced the news on Instagram and asked for family privacy.
- No cause of death has been made public and the family has said memorial details will be announced later.
- Wansel rose to prominence at Philadelphia International Records and with MFSB as a keyboardist, arranger, producer and musical director who helped craft the label’s lush soul sound.
- Tracks such as the instrumental hits from Life on Mars and Theme From The Planets supplied breakbeats and motifs that have been widely sampled by artists including Drake, Kanye West, Kendrick Lamar and J. Cole.
- He continued to release music into the 21st century, including a 2021 LP, and his passing is likely to prompt renewed attention to his catalogue and influence on modern R&B and hip-hop.