Music and Suicide: A Tragic History

Former X Factor finalist Simone Battle passed away.

R.I.P. Simone Battle - Singer Simone Battle, former X Factor finalist and one-third of of the tri-national all-girl group G.R.L., passed away Sept. 5 from an apparent suicide. She was 25. Her father told TMZ that there was no sign of depression and that she was excited about where her career was going –– the group just did a record with Pitbull –– but he doesn't suspect foul play.Sadly, this is not the first time a suicide has struck the music community. Read on.(Photo: Ray Tamarra/GC Images)

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R.I.P. Simone Battle - Singer Simone Battle, former X Factor finalist and one-third of of the tri-national all-girl group G.R.L., passed away Sept. 5 from an apparent suicide. She was 25. Her father told TMZ that there was no sign of depression and that she was excited about where her career was going –– the group just did a record with Pitbull –– but he doesn't suspect foul play.Sadly, this is not the first time a suicide has struck the music community. Read on.(Photo: Ray Tamarra/GC Images)

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KayO Redd - Tragedy struck the final holidays of 2013 when KayO Redd, a Brick Squad Monopoly signee and younger brother of Waka Flocka Flame, was found dead Dec. 29 from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. "I lost another son," their mom, Deb Antney, tweeted out.(Photo: KayO Redd via Twitter)

Freddy E - Up-and-coming Seattle rapper and online personality Freddy E was found dead after an apparent suicide on Jan. 5, 2013. The incident played out on social media in real time, with the rapper tweeting a series of disturbing messages before his death. "If there's a God then He's calling me back home. This barrel never felt so good next to my dome. It's cold & I'd rather die than live alone," he wrote. "It's... all... bad... y'all. *puts finger around trigger*"   (Photo: Twitter/Freddy_E)

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Freddy E - Up-and-coming Seattle rapper and online personality Freddy E was found dead after an apparent suicide on Jan. 5, 2013. The incident played out on social media in real time, with the rapper tweeting a series of disturbing messages before his death. "If there's a God then He's calling me back home. This barrel never felt so good next to my dome. It's cold & I'd rather die than live alone," he wrote. "It's... all... bad... y'all. *puts finger around trigger*"   (Photo: Twitter/Freddy_E)

Capital Steez - Christmas Eve 2012 was a sad day for hip hop. Capital Steez, the mega-talented rapper who spit alongside Joey Bada$ on his breakthrough track "Survival Tactics," died at the age of 19, just days after his Pro Era crew dropped a new mixtape, PEEP: The aPROcalypse. Steez's last tweet read "The End," prompting many to believe he killed himself.(Photo: Capital Steez/Facebook)

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Capital Steez - Christmas Eve 2012 was a sad day for hip hop. Capital Steez, the mega-talented rapper who spit alongside Joey Bada$ on his breakthrough track "Survival Tactics," died at the age of 19, just days after his Pro Era crew dropped a new mixtape, PEEP: The aPROcalypse. Steez's last tweet read "The End," prompting many to believe he killed himself.(Photo: Capital Steez/Facebook)

Phyllis Hyman - Silky-voiced soul diva Phyllis Hyman took her life on June 30, 1995, by overdosing on sleeping pills. Her suicide note read, "I'm tired. I'm tired. Those of you that I love know who you are. May God bless you." (Photo: Arista Records)

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Phyllis Hyman - Silky-voiced soul diva Phyllis Hyman took her life on June 30, 1995, by overdosing on sleeping pills. Her suicide note read, "I'm tired. I'm tired. Those of you that I love know who you are. May God bless you." (Photo: Arista Records)

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Chris Lighty  - Chris Lighty, the music executive who helmed the careers of A Tribe Called Quest, Mariah Carey and 50 Cent, among others, was found dead in his New York City apartment from an alleged self-inflected gunshot wound on Aug. 30. He was 44. (Photo: AP Photo/Jim Cooper, file)

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Chris Lighty - Legendary hip hop exec Chris Lighty, who managed the careers of 50 Cent, Fat Joe, LL Cool J and many other rap icons, shot himself on Thursday, Aug. 30, 2012, outside his apartment in the Bronx after an argument with his ex-wife. (Photo: AP Photo/Jim Cooper, file)

Don Cornelius - The legendary founder and host of Soul Train shocked many when he took his own life on Feb. 1, 2012. Cornelius shot himself after a long battle with health problems. (Photo by Paul Natkin/WireImage)

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Don Cornelius - The legendary founder and host of Soul Train shocked many when he took his own life on Feb. 1, 2012. Cornelius shot himself after a long battle with health problems. (Photo by Paul Natkin/WireImage)

Disco D - DJ and beatmaker Disco D, who produced for 50 Cent, UGK and AZ, committed suicide on Jan. 23, 2007, after a long battle with the depression of his bipolar disorder. (Photo: Tatiana Arocha/Ghostly International Records)

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Disco D - DJ and beatmaker Disco D, who produced for 50 Cent, UGK and AZ, committed suicide on Jan. 23, 2007, after a long battle with the depression of his bipolar disorder. (Photo: Tatiana Arocha/Ghostly International Records)

Kurt Cobain - The body of Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain, who shot himself in the head after struggling with drug abuse and depression, was found on April 8, 1994. (Photo: Frank Micelotta/Getty Images)

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Kurt Cobain - The body of Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain, who shot himself in the head after struggling with drug abuse and depression, was found on April 8, 1994. (Photo: Frank Micelotta/Getty Images)

Weldon Irvine - Weldon Irvine, an acclaimed jazz-funk keyboardist whose '70s recordings were sampled by the likes of A Tribe Called Quest and Boogie Down Productions, shot himself in front of an office complex in New York on April 9, 2002. (Photo: Nodlew Music)

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Weldon Irvine - Weldon Irvine, an acclaimed jazz-funk keyboardist whose '70s recordings were sampled by the likes of A Tribe Called Quest and Boogie Down Productions, shot himself in front of an office complex in New York on April 9, 2002. (Photo: Nodlew Music)

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Johnny "J" - Beatmaker Johnny "J," known for producing much of Tupac's classic albums All Eyez on Me and Me Against the World, committed suicide on Oct. 3, 2008, jumping to his death from an upper tier of L.A.'s Twin Towers Correctional Facility, where he was serving time for a DWI. (Photo: Johnny Lee Jackson/Myspace)

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Johnny "J" - Beatmaker Johnny "J," known for producing much of Tupac's classic albums All Eyez on Me and Me Against the World, committed suicide on Oct. 3, 2008, jumping to his death from an upper tier of L.A.'s Twin Towers Correctional Facility, where he was serving time for a DWI. (Photo: Johnny Lee Jackson/Myspace)

Paul Williams - Paul Williams, founding frontman of the Temptations, was found fatally shot on Aug. 17, 1973. The coroner ruled that Williams killed himself, and, reportedly, he'd expressed suicidal thoughts before, but many of his family members continue to suspect that foul play was involved. (Photo: Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

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Paul Williams - Paul Williams, founding frontman of the Temptations, was found fatally shot on Aug. 17, 1973. The coroner ruled that Williams killed himself, and, reportedly, he'd expressed suicidal thoughts before, but many of his family members continue to suspect that foul play was involved. (Photo: Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

Larry Troutman - After an alleged business dispute, Larry Troutman, percussionist and founding member of funk band Zapp, fatally shot his brother Roger, frontman of Zapp, and himself on April 25, 1999. (Photo: Warner Bros.)

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Larry Troutman - After an alleged business dispute, Larry Troutman, percussionist and founding member of funk band Zapp, fatally shot his brother Roger, frontman of Zapp, and himself on April 25, 1999. (Photo: Warner Bros.)

Shakir Stewart - Shakir Stewart, a rising music exec at Def Jam, shot himself on Nov. 1, 2008. Stewart was instrumental in signing Rick Ross and Young Jeezy to the legendary label. (Photo: Ben Rose/WireImage)

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Shakir Stewart - Shakir Stewart, a rising music exec at Def Jam, shot himself on Nov. 1, 2008. Stewart was instrumental in signing Rick Ross and Young Jeezy to the legendary label. (Photo: Ben Rose/WireImage)

Donny Hathaway, 'A Song for You' - This song is a classic and definitely sums up the precious nature of Kita's and Troy's growing love. We're putting in this song for them!(Photo: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)

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Donny Hathaway - Soul legend Donny Hathaway, who suffered from depression and paranoid schizophrenia, jumped to his death from the balcony of his 15th floor room at New York’s Essex House hotel on Jan. 13, 1979. (Photo: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)