Geto Boys Rapper Bushwick Bill Hospitalized, Not Dead

News spread saying that rapper Bushwick Bill had passed away on Saturday, but his reps now say he is still fighting for his life in the hospital.

Bushwick Bill, 52, is still fighting the good fight against cancer. Fellow rappers made sad posts on Instagram this weekend saying that he had passed away, but his publicist clarified to TMZ that the rapper is still alive. They noted that the false word of his death began at a seemingly reliable source and spread like wildfire.

Bushwick Bill’s publicist said that the rapper is “still alive and fighting cancer” in an undisclosed hospital. She said that she had spoken to hospital staff to confirm, and even said that some of his family members were by his bedside this morning. More visitors are on the way, but the family is hoping to stem the flow of misinformation about the rapper’s death.

Bushwick Bill first revealed his battle with Stage 4 pancreatic cancer back in May, in an interview with TMZ. At the time, he told reporters that his doctor had found a mass on his pancreas, which they at first assumed was benign. After testing it, they realized that it was actually cancerous, and the rapper was thrown into intense chemotherapy starting in February.

It is unclear where the premature rumor of Bushwick Bill’s passing started. One of the first to post a eulogy was his fellow Geto Boys rapper Scarface, who added a photo of the two together on stage to Instagram.

“RIP Bushwick Bill…” he wrote. “You will be missed big fella.”

“April 7. The last time I saw him,” added rapper Bun B alongside another stage photo. “He was, is and will always be a legend. God bless his soul and his family. There will never be another. RIP Bushwick Bill. Geto Boys.”

Fans posted memorials for Bushwick Bill online as well, not yet seeing the update from his publicist. The false death report may have begun when Bushwick Bill missed a Saturday night performance in Dallas, Texas. The rapper was hospitalized, and his illness kept him from the stage, stoking fans’ fears.

Bushwick Bill’s music career goes all the way back to 1986, when he first joined the Geto Boys as a dancer. He soon took up rapping, as well, and performed alongside Willie D and Scarface. He worked with Dr. Dre over the years as well, appearing on his album The Chronic and in his music video for “Dre Day.”

Bushwick Bill remains in the hospital undergoing treatment for pancreatic cancer.