Remembrance for a Disc Jockey; DJ Mister Cee Dead at Fifty Seven

Usually part of the background, yet still energetic, the hip hop DJ is a cardinal element of the entire scene. Mister Cee knew this. He represented a class of artists and presenters that transcended the idea of the DJ playing second fiddle to the MC. Throughout his life, he wanted to make an impact on this genre of music that is often cast aside like a used tissue paper or denounced for its explicit nature and legal troubles. He had a few of them of his own.

Born Calvin LeBrun, Cee had a taste for transgenders, prostitutes to be exact. He ran afoul of the law on a few occasions. He found himself conflicted often with his bisexuality and his position in the hip hop atmosphere. While the genre has experienced greater heights in terms of acceptance of LGBTQ+ members, there is still a stigma which exists like cancer in the bones of the art form. Mister Cee came from a West Indian background which further complicated his role as someone who actually wanted to express himself but couldn’t find the groove. Like the protagonist in the August Wilson play Joe Turner’s Come and Gone, Mr. Cee had somewhere lost his song. As a result of him not being able to put himself out there not as a circus freak but a human being who just happened to enjoy the company of trans people, he struggled to keep the momentum going on the microphone.

Accusations concerning a friend and collaborator, Christopher “The Notorious B.I.G.” Wallace, about being bisexual continue to swirl around the Internet like a gale storm. With so much notice on the rapper, the spotlight seemed to fade when it came to the DJ. This allowed him to state years after Biggie’s death that he actually gravitated towards and engaged in sexual interactions with the trans community. With this admission, he felt free yet that liberation came at a steep cost because he gave up his role on the radio.

He had questioned whether he’d ever be brought on stage again for events. He wondered if his declaration of liberty also would become a cocoon he would never be able to transition out of completely. Mister Cee didn’t have demons, he had pressure. His Caribbean roots, where people are extremely not tolerant of such conduct; the hop hop scene that he adored still cast homophobia onto the mainstage worried and hindered him. What’s so sad is that he didn’t even have a chance to totally let out his true self to the world, even post divulgence. What separated Mister Cee apart weren’t his sexual preferences but his prowess on the microphone. He brought energy and light and fun to a stale station with very few lively entertainers to host shows and keep the radio rocking.

Mister Cee kept the party going. He had to have had some moments of joy. It was not all gloom and despair. The enjoyment he felt as he spun those records for millions of people solidified his place in the hip hop pantheon. While some might speculate that he and Wallace were linked together sexually, there is no evidence of this at all. It did seem, however, that their bond as craftsmen and creators remained tight up until the aforementioned rapper’s demise.

In the wake of this news, it shows again that even rappers who don’t get gunned down still die relatively young. With this recent news, there’s going to be an outpouring of grief and a requiem for the renowned disc jockey. For his formidable skills on the wheels of steel, he will forever be noted as a paragon of professionalism and a person who could get the party started or mellow out with soulful selections from the past. If there is something to be learned from his death, it is that he always represented honor and truth. Even when he tried to hide himself, the agent of reality always came back and nudged him to live his life the way he saw fit. So, Mister Cee will forever be remembered for his style, wit, and flourish amidst a troubled existence.

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