Exclusive
Reggie Warren – one of the original five members of the R & B group TROOP – has passed away … TMZ has learned.
A rep for the group says Reggie died Sunday at his family-run San Bernardino County home. We are told that he has been dealing with health issues for some time now, and that he was even admitted to hospital a few months ago.
The representative says Reggie was discharged from the hospital on Saturday with the expectation that he would die. We are told that his death is not related to COVID – but the family did not want to discuss an official case before an autopsy could be performed.
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Reggie started with TROOP when it first came out in the 80’s with girlfriends in childhood Rodney Benford, John Harreld, Steve Russell and Allen McNeil. Russell paid tribute to his longtime colleague in an IG post on Sunday and wrote … “Job well done my brother, I’ll see you on the other side seeRIP Reggie Warren. #DamnReggie.”
The quintet signed to Atlantic Records and released their debut album in ’88, which saw a hit in their lead single ‘Mamacita’. However, they are better known for their 2nd album ‘Attitude’, which produced two # 1s in songs such as ‘All I Do is Think of You’ and ‘Spread My Wings’.
In addition to their musical success, TROOP – which stands for Total Respect of Other People – can also be remembered as the a capella group that sings a cover of ‘Living For the City’ in the cult classic film ‘New Jack City ‘- which they all appear fleetingly during a montage.
‘Living For the City’ is with Queen Latifah‘s’ For the Love of Money’ – which also appears in the film – for an unforgettable medley related to ‘NJC’.
The band had a hiatus in the late ’90s, but reunited and toured in the 2000s and beyond … after appearing in concert with notable performances such as Boyz II Men Keith Sweet, Jon B, Brian McKnight and other artists and groups that were popular at the time.
The collaborators seem to have stayed on good footing in the 2010s, as they regularly appeared together at various public events such as the BET Awards and beyond.
Reggie was 52.
TEAR