Rapper Luci4 Dead at 23

Rapper Luci4 has died at the age of 23.

The Los Angeles musician, whose real name is James Dear, died on Feb. 22 at a private residence, according to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner. The Los Angeles Fire Department responded to the residence at about 11:40 a.m. and found Dear dead upon arrival, as per TMZ.

Dear’s grandparents told the outlet that he had died at a friend’s house and claimed that his wallet was “completely emptied” by the role authorities arrived. His cause of death is now under investigation by the Los Angeles Police Department.

“I am devastated to inform you that today James, Luci4, axxturel has passed away,” Dear’s manager, Kayla G, announced on the day of his death. “He was truly a leader. A king. And musician. And a genius. There’s nobody like him. And there will never be. We all loved him dearly. Rest easy. Please allow family and friends privacy and patience during this difficult time.”

In the caption, Kayla G thanked Dear for dedicating his “beautiful song” titled “anything” to her. “Thank you for showing me what it’s like to relate to someone so deeply,” she continued. “I love you so so much and I’ll never forget you.”

Dear, who is also known as Axxturel, first became popular on TikTok in 2021 and found fame with his song “Bodypartz,” which was certified gold as a track by the Recording Industry Association of America in 2024.

The young rapper, who is best known for his work in the sigilkore microgenre, was signed to Atlanta Records after the release of “Bodypartz,” as per Billboard, and went on to release numerous songs and albums in the years since, including VAMPMANIA 3 in 2025 and the singles “Otw,” “Sleeve,” “B4 the Storm” and “#NEVERSURRENDER,” at the start of 2026.