DJ Clark Kent has died of colon cancer at the age of 58

DJ Clark Kent – born Rodolfo Franklin – has died aged 58 after a three-year battle with colon cancer. Clark Kent's family confirmed his death in a statement posted to the super producer's Instagram page on Friday afternoon (October 25).

“It is with deep sadness that we share the passing of the beloved Rodolfo A. Franklin, known to the world as DJ Clark Kent,” the statement said. “Clark passed away Thursday evening surrounded by his devoted wife Kesha, daughter Kabriah and son Antonio.”

The post went on to discuss Clark Kent's private battle with cancer. “Clark calmly and bravely battled colon cancer for three years while continuing to share his gifts with the world,” they added. “The family is grateful for everyone’s love, support and prayers during this time and requests privacy as they process this immense loss.”

A touching outpouring of support came from the pioneering producer's colleagues, friends and fans in his comments section.

“Clark will forever be the culture,” Questlove wrote, while Raekwon added, “Awwww mannnnn. We will miss this legend. Condolences to the loved ones.

Fabolous commented: “Rest In Peace Legend. So many moments and memories. Talked to me every time. I believed in myself and was always rooting for Brooklyn. Shared gems with me in every conversation. I honored my fatherhood. . I tied myself with shoe plugs. A true hip hop lover. Honorable father and husband. Great guide. Firm in his opinion. He was an amazing DJ at every event I attended and he was on set. God’s favorite DJ.”

There were also tributes from Jim Jones, Dave East, Mickey Factz, Conway The Machine, Benny The Butcher, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Hit-Boy, Rob Markman and more.

The Supermen frontman began his career as a DJ in the '80s before scoring his first major hit in 1995 when he produced Junior MAFIA and The Notorious BIG's “Player's Anthem,” which peaked at No. 13 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was released as Lil ' Kim's acted introduction to the world.

Clark Kent joined Jay-Z and produced a handful of tracks from the acclaimed Hov's Reasonable doubt Debut album in 1996 such as “Brooklyn's Finest” with Biggie Smalls, “Coming of Age”, “Cashmere Thoughts” and more.

Foxy Brown is Clark Kent's cousin and adds to New York rap history. The New York-born DJ is also credited with discovering bad-boy rapper-turned-politician Shyne in the late '90s.

When he teamed up with Mariah Carey, he scored another commercial anthem Sparkle2001's “Loverboy,” which reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Clark Kent was an integral part of sneaker culture and an avid sneakerhead throughout his life. In 2018, he was estimated to have more than 3,500 pairs in his rare collection.

“We are deeply saddened by the passing of our dear friend and true cultural icon, DJ Clark Kent. At Nike, we have had the honor of collaborating with Clark on projects that celebrate not only his deep love of sneakers, but also his unwavering commitment to pushing creative boundaries and improving culture,” Nike said in a statement billboard from a company spokesperson. “His impact on the world of sneaker is immeasurable, with an influence that spans the globe and generations.” Clark's legacy will forever inspire future talent and leave a lasting mark on our industry. Our thoughts are with Clark's family, friends and everyone touched by his extraordinary talent, passion and kindness. We will miss his presence very much.”

In recent years, he has been credited as co-producer of Ye (Kanye West) and Lil Pump's “I Love It,” which gave him another top 10 hit on the Hot 100 in 2018.

DJ Clark Kent is survived by his wife Kesha, his son Antonio and his daughter Kabriah. Below is the family's statement.