R&B singer and house vocalist Erik Rico has died

R&B singer and house music vocalist Erik Rico has died, friends and fellow artists Aaron Paar and Chris of C Boogie have confirmed.

“It is with profound sadness and heavy hearts that a small group of concerned friends confirms the passing of our beloved brother, Erik Rico,” they wrote in an Instagram post over the weekend (October 18).

According to Aaron and Chris, Erik passed away several months ago in late July. No cause of death was stated.

“Confirming this news has been a painful process,” they wrote. “We owe immense gratitude to our friend, Jacklyn, whose diligence and tireless efforts ultimately uncovered the truth of his passing.”

Born in North Carolina and raised between NC and New York, Erik first emerged in the music scene in the ‘90s after being scouted and signed by Columbia Records’ Randy Jackson.

Erik began to produce music for the likes of Jurassic 5 and Q-Tip before working on his own projects. His first solo record, ‘Journey Back To Me’, was released in 2008.

As a vocalist, producer, DJ, and multi-instrumentalist, Erik would later collaborate with the likes of Ron Trent, DJ Spinna, and Mystic, putting his name on the house music circuit across North America.

Just a few years ago, Erik moved to Mexico where he chose to step away from social media and put all of his time and energy into music.

“Erik was loved by his music community worldwide,” Aaron and Chris said in tribute. “We will profoundly miss him as a brother, friend, and musical companion. Our deepest and most heartfelt condolences go out to his family, friends, and fans across the globe.”

Read some tributes below.

Gemma Ross is Mixmag's Associate Digital Editor, follow her on Twitter