Kris Kross’ Chris Kelly Cause Of Death Revealed

Atlanta, GA — Chris Kelly, half of the ’90s rap duo Kris Kross, died of a drug overdose, a medical office investigator said Monday.

According to Betty Honey of the Fulton County Medical Examiner’s Office, the 34-year-old had a mixture of drugs in his system when he was pronounced dead on May 1.

Kelly was found unresponsive on his living room couch, and paramedics tried to resuscitate him. He was pronounced dead at a local hospital.

Honey said she didn’t know the specific drugs Kelly took before his death, but his mother told investigators that her son had taken cocaine and heroin the night before he died. Donna Kelly Pratt said that Kelly, who was known as “Mac Daddy,” felt nauseous all morning on May 1 before he passed out.

Kelly’s uncle, Lamar Williams, said his nephew had “an extensive history of drug abuse.” At a memorial service for Kelly in Atlanta in May, Williams said Kelly showed a love for music at an early age and used to imitate Michael Jackson’s dance moves. He said his nephew loved Atlanta and never wanted to live anywhere else.

Kelly and Chris “Daddy Mac” Smith were discovered by So So Def founder Jermaine Dupri at a Mall in Atlanta in 1990. The pair released their first album, Totally Krossed Out, in 1992, and the first single, “Jump,” remained at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for eight weeks. Totally Krossed Out went four times platinum.

After learning of Kelly’s death, Dupri said he was like the son he never had.

“When I think about it I spent more time with Chris and Chris than d*** near anybody in my whole life, so you can imagine how bad this hurts,” he said.

Kris Kross separated in 1996, but reunited at So So Def’s 20th anniversary concert in February. Kelly was reportedly planning to make a comeback after the concert.