Veteran DJ and radio personality Lord Sear, a core member of the iconic Stretch Armstrong and Bobbito Show, has died at the age of 53. A cause of death has not been revealed at this time.
News of Sear’s death was announced on Wednesday afternoon (March 11) in a post on Shade 45‘s official X account.
“WE ARE SAD TO REPORT THAT OUR DEAR FRIEND AND HOST, LORD SEAR HAS PASSED AWAY,” read a statement shared by the station, which Sear worked with dating back to its launch in 2004.
“SEAR WAS MORE THAN A VOICE ON THE RADIO – HE WAS A FORCE, A FRIEND, AND FAMILY TO SO MANY OF US! ”
A New York native, Lord Sear, born Steve Watson, built a reputation as one of hip-hop radio’s most distinctive voices throughout his decades-long career. He gained recognition early on as the touring DJ for rapper Kurious before becoming a core member of the groundbreaking Stretch Armstrong and Bobbito Show on WKCR.
Sear first appeared on the influential college radio program during the early 1990s, helping with beatboxing and bringing guests to the studio before eventually becoming an official co-host. The show famously helped introduce future hip-hop icons including Jay-Z, Nas, and Wu-Tang Clan.
Beyond radio, Sear contributed to albums by Beastie Boys, Big Pun, MF DOOM, The X-Ecutioners, Statik Selektah, and more.
He released the 12-inch singles “Alcoholic Vibes / My Hindu Love” in 1997 and “Hello! (The Wake Up Call)” in 2000, and provided voice work for the landmark video games Grand Theft Auto III (2001) and Grand Theft Auto IV (2008).
During the 2000s, Sear expanded his presence on satellite radio as co-host of The All Out Show alongside Rude Jude on Shade 45, the hip-hop channel founded by Eminem on SiriusXM.
At the time of his death, he remained an active voice on the platform as host of The Lord Sear Special, continuing to champion hip-hop music and culture for listeners worldwide.
This story was originally published on VIBE.
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