Young Noble of Tupac’s Outlawz Passes Away at 47 in Apparent Suicide

Rapper Young Noble — best known as a member of Tupac Shakur’s Outlawz — has tragically died at the age of 47.

Sources close to the situation confirm to TMZ Hip Hop that the rapper, whose real name was Rufus Lee Cooper III, passed away Friday morning in Atlanta from what appears to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Authorities have not yet released an official report, but preliminary details suggest suicide.

Young Noble rose to prominence in the mid-‘90s when he was personally invited by Tupac to join the iconic rap collective Outlawz in 1996, making him the final member added by the legendary rapper before Tupac’s death.

He featured on several tracks from Tupac’s posthumously released album The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory, including the classic “Hail Mary.” The album was released just two months after Tupac’s tragic murder in Las Vegas.

Over the years, Noble carved out his own lane in hip hop, releasing multiple solo projects such as Noble Justice and Son of God. In 2021, he suffered a major heart attack, later sharing on Instagram how thankful he was to still be alive after the health scare.

Friends say Noble appeared to be in good spirits recently and had even been playing basketball shortly before his death, showing no visible signs of distress or health concerns.

The hip hop community is mourning the loss of a respected artist and voice, whose contributions to the culture spanned nearly three decades.

Rest in peace, Young Noble.