Sean Levert (center), along with brother Gerald (left) and Marc GordonSean Levert, one-third of the R&B trio LeVert and son of Eddie Levert of the O'Jays, died late Sunday night at the age of 39. Sean fell ill while serving a jail term for failing to pay child support. He was taken to a nearby hospital where he died about an hour later. Sean reportedly was suffering from high blood pressure and had been hallucinating in jail. According to the coroner, an autopsy is scheduled. Sean's death comes less than two years after that of older brother Gerald (the lead singer of Levert and a successful solo artist as well) who died in 2006 at age 40 of an accidental mix of prescription and over-the-counter drugs.
As a member of LeVert (along with Gerald and childhood friend Marc Gordon) Sean enjoyed several hits on the R&B and pop charts. These include "Pop, Pop, Pop, Pop (Goes My Mind)", "Casanova", "My Forever Love", and "Just Coolin". As late as 2007, there were plans to reunite LeVert with Dwight Thompson of the Rude Boys replacing Gerald.
To lose one child is hard enough, but losing two in such a short timespan is a pain that I can't even imagine. My heart goes out to Eddie Levert and the rest of his family.
7 comments:
What a sad news. His brother just died a year and a half ago. He will be missed!
This is just too shocking. There must be some type of illness that runs in the family or something. I wonder how he got into that predicament where he wasn't able to pay his child support. Condolescence go out to his parents and children.
I'm pretty crushed. I LOOOVED Gerald, now this...r&b is dead.
Very sad. You know I think if our society paid more attention to mental illness like depression (which to me it seems the culprit here) people would be working their lives out --- OUT of jail.
My aunt told me about this yesterday. I guess they'll have to see what the post-mortem says, especially if it concludes that he died from some type of neglect.
Very sad situation.
You know...this came up on a another blog I follow...about prison.
I think this is an example of some jail time should actually be community service.
How does sending a deadbeat dad to prison help?
Maybe the idea of community service...for particular white collar crimes should be explored.
Something like...he should have had to work in an orphanage...where children are neglected and abandanded by their parents. Help families who are homeless or something.?
That way...maybe a sense of perspective would teach deadbeat dads why their influence and money help their children. Too many parents feel they can use their children to get revenge on the parent with custody.
Ivanhoe: I guess because he was more prominent, Gerald's death was more of a shock to me than that of Sean's. Still, that doesn't make Sean's death any less tragic in my eyes.
Pjazzy: Because both Gerald and Sean had weight issues, I wonder if that combined with a possible hereditary thing played parts in their untimely deaths.
Thembi: I'm afraid you might be right about the state of R&B. There are some artists in the neo-soul vein who are trying to keep it alive, but mainstream radio overlooks them for the most part. If R&B isn't dead, it's on the critical list.
Damien: Whether or not Sean Levert suffered from depression, I agree that it's an illness that needs to be discussed more.
X. Dell: I am intrigued to see what the report says too. Apparently, it'll be another 4-6 weeks before the toxicology report comes out.
Candy: Your proposal of community service instead of jail time for failure to pay child support makes sense to me. I wonder if Sean Levert's death might cause the powers that be to look at community service as a viable option.
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