Natina Reed, Blaque Singer, Remembered By Rapper Kurupt: 'This Is A Tremendous Loss To Our Family'

 

  By Cavan Sieczkowski 

Natina Reed's death crushed fans of the 1990s girl group, Blaque, who learned that the singer had been killed in a car accident in Georgia on Friday night. Reed is being remembered by those closest to her, including her former fiance and father of her son, rapper Kurupt.
Kurupt, the Dogg Pound rapper formally known as Ricardo Emmanuel Brown, described the 32-year-old as "a great person."
"Myself and Tren, Natina's son, would like to thank everyone for their love and support during this tragic time," Kurupt said of the response to Reed's passing in a statement to MTV News. "This is a tremendous loss to our family. Natina was a great person and I wish everyone had the opportunity to meet her and know her as I did."
Reed and Kurupt were engaged in the early 2000s and have a 10-year-old son, Tren Brown, according to MTV News. Reed provided the hook for the rapper's solo single, "It's Over." The two never married.
Others close to the Blaque singer remembered her lovingly after her death.

Fellow Blaque members Brandi Williams and Shamari Fears-DeVoe issued a joint statement to E! News:

We are devastated by the loss of our group member, sister and friend Natina Reed. Because of the enormous support of Blaque fans and our love for each another, Blaque officially reunited this fall and we were in the process of working on a new album and a reality show. Natina continuously embodied the pioneering spirit of Blaque and her undeniable creativity touched the hearts of fans everywhere. Natina was a mother, sister, accomplished songwriter, artist and friend. We ask for your prayers at this time for Natina's family. She will forever be missed and her global influence eternally felt. We thank God for the experiences we shared.

Williams also took to Twitter to express her sorrow. "Last night the world was changed forever, life will never be the same....she was my sister," she tweeted. Actress Gabrielle Union, who appeared with Reed in 2000's "Bring It On," offered her condolences. "#RIP #Sad #BringItOn," she tweeted.
Reed died Friday, Oct. 26, after she was struck by a car near Lilburn, Ga., according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Police received a call at about 10:30 p.m. on Friday from the driver of the vehicle, who was later "determined to not be at fault," the Detroit Free Press reports. Reed was pronounced dead at 10:59 p.m. at Gwinnett Medical Center.
Gwinnett County police spokesman Sgt. Rich Long said that the driver and a passenger appear to be the only witnesses. “It’s kind of a dark lit area,” Long said, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “There is not really anything in that area that’s open at that time of night, that would be any kind of a draw to a person up there." Police are hoping to determine why the singer was in the roadway.
Reed was a protege of TLC's Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes, who died in a car crash in La Ceiba, Honduras, in 2002. The Roots' drummer Questlove noted the parallel, tweeting, "man. in eerie Left Eye fashion....rip to Blaque's Natina Reed."
Reed would have turned 33 years old on Sunday.