Lord Sear, hiphop radio legend and Shade 45 host, dies at 53

Lord Sear, a longtime hip hop radio personality and DJ known for his influence in the music world, has died at the age of 53.

The news was announced Wednesday afternoon in a statement posted on Shade 45’s official X account, while a cause of death has not been released.

“WE ARE SAD TO REPORT THAT OUR DEAR FRIEND AND HOST, LORD SEAR HAS PASSED AWAY,” the statement said.

“SEAR WAS MORE THAN A VOICE ON THE RADIO – HE WAS A FORCE, A FRIEND, AND FAMILY TO SO MANY OF US! ”

Lord Sear, whose real name was Steve Watson, was born in New York and built a reputation as one of hiphop radio’s most recognizable voices.

He gained early recognition as the touring DJ for rapper Kurious before becoming a key member of the influential Stretch Armstrong and Bobbito Show on WKCR.

The show helped launch the careers of several major artists including Jay Z, Nas and Wu Tang Clan.

He also released several singles and provided voice work for the video games Grand Theft Auto III and Grand Theft Auto IV.