We mourn the passing of adventurous R&B singer Erik Rico

(October 19, 2025) We are extremely sad to report the passing of R&B singer, songwriter and musician extraordinaire, Erik Rico. We learned news of his passing from a number of his friends, although the date of death and causes of death are unclear.

Raised both his native North Carolina and New York state, Rico embraced a multi-instrumentalist foundation—guitar, bass, piano, drums, percussion—all of which became tools in his quest to fuse genres.  His professional career turned a key in 1997 when he was signed by Columbia Records executive Randy Jackson, signaling the arrival of a young artist determined to navigate his own path.

Rico’s behind-the-scenes work as writer and producer became nearly legendary: he collaborated with the likes of Jurassic 5, Planet Asia, Ladybug Mecca of Digable Planets and even contributed to the posthumous The Rose that Grewfrom Concrete project associated with Tupac Shakur in 2001.

In his own right, Rico delivered recordings that showcased his versatility. From his warm debut solo outing, Journey Back To Me, to the harder sounds of Higher Frequency, to the hot grooves of 2013’s Love’s Dance Vol. 1, Rico showed an adventurousness that won for him fans around the world. 

We had most recently covered Rico in July, when he released the fun track “Disco Funk,” which he had recorded after his move to Mexico.

We mourn the passing of this talented musical warrior, even as we celebrate his eclectic, powerful discography of music.