Freestyle Fellowship MC P.E.A.C.E. Passes Away Influencing Alternative Hip-Hop

Mtulazaji Davis, known as P.E.A.C.E., a foundational MC of the influential Los Angeles hip-hop group Freestyle Fellowship, has passed away; the group confirmed his death via Instagram without revealing a cause. P.E.A.C.E. was a key figure in the West Coast alternative hip-hop scene, having honed his craft at the Good Life Café alongside fellow members Myka 9, Aceyalone, and Self Jupiter, and helped pioneer a unique, lyrically dense style that influenced acts like The Pharcyde and Kendrick Lamar. Freestyle Fellowship's seminal albums include 1991's "To Whom It May Concern..." and 1993's "Innercity Griots," with P.E.A.C.E. also releasing solo projects "Southern Fry’d Chicken" (2000) and "Megabite" (2004). His legacy extends through contributions to the Project Blowed collective, one of hip-hop's longest-running open mic workshops. Tributes from across the hip-hop community, including artists like Blu, Exile, and Open Mike Eagle, highlight P.E.A.C.E.'s authenticity, lyrical skill, and lasting impact on the genre. The hip-hop world mourns the loss of an artist described as a "royal treasure" and an irreplaceable voice in West Coast hip-hop.