Quick Facts About John Forte: Net Worth, Early Life, Drug Sentence and Sudden Death

Grammy-nominated musician John Forte, who co-wrote and produced tracks on The Fugees' multi-platinum album The Score, has died at his Massachusetts home. He was 50.

Chilmark Police Chief Sean Slavin confirmed officers responded to a call at 2:25 p.m. on Monday, 12 January. A neighbour had found Forte unresponsive on his kitchen floor. He was pronounced dead at the scene, with police saying there were no signs of foul play.

The state medical examiner's office is investigating. No official cause of death has been released, but family friends told the Martha's Vineyard Times that Forte had been hospitalised after a seizure a year ago. He had been on medication for the condition since.

Brooklyn Roots and Classical Training

Forte was born on 30 January 1975 in Brooklyn and grew up in Brownsville. He picked up the violin at eight years old. The instrument got him into Phillips Exeter Academy in New Hampshire, and he went on to New York University as a music business major. His roommate there was rapper Talib Kweli.

He dropped out to take an A&R job at Rawkus Records. Then Lauryn Hill introduced him to The Fugees.

At 21, Forte received a Grammy nomination for his production and songwriting on The Score, which won Best Rap Album at the 1997 Grammys. He toured with the group and contributed to Wyclef Jean's 1997 solo record Wyclef Jean Presents the Carnival Featuring the Refugee All-Stars.

Net Worth and Recording Career

Forte's net worth has been estimated at $10 million to $12 million (£8.1 million to £9.7 million). The bulk of it came from his production credits, touring, and solo work. His debut album Poly Sci dropped in 1998. He also teamed up with Pras for 'Avenues', a Top 40 hit from the Money Talks soundtrack.

After prison, he recorded more than 50 songs and played over 100 gigs. In 2012, he wrote 'Something to Lean On', the first anthem for the Brooklyn Nets.

Drug Conviction and Presidential Commutation

In 2000, Forte was arrested at Newark International Airport after accepting a briefcase with $1.4 million (£1.1 million) worth of liquid cocaine inside. Variety said he was convicted of possession with intent to distribute and got the mandatory minimum: 14 years in federal prison.

While awaiting trial, he managed to record a second album, I, John (2001). Herbie Hancock appeared on it, and Carly Simon sang a duet with him. Simon and her son Ben Taylor took up his cause, arguing he hadn't received a fair trial and pushing back against mandatory minimum sentencing.

Forte referred to Simon as her mentor, guide, and spiritual godmother.

Senator Orrin Hatch later got involved. On 24 November 2008, President George W. Bush commuted his sentence. Forte walked out of federal prison on 22 December after serving seven years.

Martha's Vineyard and Final Projects

Forte first came to Martha's Vineyard in 1998 when Ben Taylor invited him. He eventually moved there and married photographer Lara Fuller. They had two children: Wren, 10, and Haile, 7.

He set up a studio in a neighbour's basement. Musicians from the island and beyond would come through for sessions. Recent projects included scoring the HBO revival of Eyes On the Prize and working with Peter More on Kerouac's Road: The Beat of a Nation.

'The music that I think of most recently, its purpose - it feels like a time capsule for my children,' he told Arts & Ideas magazine in 2024. 'I make music now that I really want my kids to like, when they're able to receive it.'

He would have turned 51 on 30 January. He is survived by his wife and two children.