Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
Arts & Entertainment
Big Kap, Legendary NYC Hip-Hop DJ, Has Died At Age 45
By
Scott Heins
Published Feb 3, 2016
Modified Apr 10, 2018
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Scott Heins
Published Feb 3, 2016
Modified Apr 10, 2018
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
The hip-hop world is grieving the death of Big Kap, who reportedly passed away early Wednesday morning at the age of 45. Funkmaster Flex first broke the news of the 45-year-old DJ's passing via his personal Instagram account, writing "Rest in peace.... Big Kap..." Additional details on the circumstances of his death remain unknown.
Big Kap—whose real name was Keith Carter—released the hugely influential album The Tunnel in 1999, a collaboration with Funk Flex that featured rap verses from Jay Z, Tupac Shakur, Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Nas, Method Man, LL Cool J, Erik Sermon, Raekwon and Notorious B.I.G. The album was named after the now-closed Manhattan Tunnel club, one of the busiest (and wildest) hip-hop spots of the mid-1990s. Today, The Tunnel endures as Kap's most essential release.
He also spent time working as Biggie's live DJ—a professional relationship that was not without its fair share of scuffles...
Big Kap was a member of the Flip Squad DJ collective, along with local legends like Biz Markie, Cipha Sounds, Mister Cee, and DJ Enuff. Hot 97 DJ Peter Rosenberg remembered him as an "incredible talker with a unique and awesome voice," in a post to Instagram this morning. "[A]lways good for a warm smile and a sincere conversation... Was always very fond of this guy ever since I met him," Rosenberg wrote.
Other messages of grief and gratitude for Big Kap have been posted by Questlove, The Wu Tang Clan, DJ/producer Pete Rock, Alchemist, and many more.
Tagged
Big Kap
Funkmaster Flex
hip hop
Scott Heins
Scott Heins is a freelance photo and video journalist based in New York City, and a frequent contributor to Gothamist + WNYC. His work often centers around labor rights, housing, and policing. In 2018-2019 he traveled to four states while covering a wave of public school teachers strikes, with work featured in The New York Times, The Intercept, Getty Images, Splinter, and Bloomberg Photos. Scott is a dues-paying member of the National Writers Union's Freelance Solidarity Project.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE arts-entertainment
Will Barnes and Noble in the East Village spell doom for smaller shops? It's complicated.
Independent booksellers are grappling with whether the big-box chain is a threat or an ally in the fight against Amazon.
By
Sonia Rao
Published Oct 16, 2026
Can eligible NYC singles find love with 30 minutes and some really spicy food?
We went to the Spiciest Supper Club singles night to take the temperature of New York City's dating scene.
By
Elizabeth Shwe
and
James Ramsay
Arts & Entertainment
Can eligible NYC singles find love with 30 minutes and some really spicy food?
We went to the Spiciest Supper Club singles night to take the temperature of New York City's dating scene.
By
Elizabeth Shwe
and
James Ramsay
How the NYC Marathon has changed in the last 50 years
By
Hannah Frishberg
A visit to Art of Play, the Brooklyn store in an animatronic bird beef with Kelly Clarkson
By
Sonia Rao
The hottest way to show you're an authentic New Yorker is… riding a Citi Bike?
By
Lindsay Lee Wallace
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .