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2w ago

Lord Sear, Influential Shade 45 DJ and Hip-Hop Radio Voice, Dies

Shade 45 marked his passing with an on-air memorial, underscoring his role in connecting 1990s New York hip-hop to the broad audience of satellite radio.

Lord Sear speaks on SiriusXM's Shade 45 Channel at the SiriusXM Studios on Oct. 23, 2019, in New York City.
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Overview

  • Shade 45 and Lord Sear’s official Instagram confirmed his death, and no cause of death has been disclosed.
  • The SiriusXM channel aired a tribute during his usual 12–4 p.m. ET slot on Thursday, with some outlets reporting additional remembrance programming on Friday.
  • Eminem led tributes, calling Sear “one of the greatest people to be around” and recalling their time on tour and on Shade 45.
  • Born Steve Watson, Sear rose from touring DJ for Kurious and a key presence on WKCR’s Stretch Armstrong & Bobbito show to co-host The All Out Show and host The Lord Sear Special on Shade 45 for over two decades.
  • Reports differ on his age, with outlets citing 52 to 54, and colleagues across hip-hop—among them DJ Premier, Fat Joe, Questlove and others—shared condolences.