J Dilla

J Dilla's work has had a major influence on his peers as he embodied the neo soul sound, playing a significant yet modest role during the sub-genre's rise (roughly from the mid-90s to the early 2000s). As he reached his prime, the seriousness of his condition became public in November 2005 when J Dilla toured Europe performing from a wheelchair. It was later revealed that he suffered from TTP, a rare blood disease, and eventually dying from Lupus.
Like many artists who die young, Dilla's greatest public exposure came because of his death. His untimely death has had a significant impact on the hip-hop community. Besides countless tribute tracks and concerts, Dilla's death created a wealth of interest in his remaining catalog, and consequently, Dilla's influence on hip-hop production became more apparent. J Dilla was often dubbed "your favorite producer's favorite producer," and was highly regarded by hip-hop artists and producers.