Legendary Atlanta producer Rico Wade, who collaborated with OutKast and co-wrote TLC’s “Waterfalls,” passes away at the age of 52

Rico Wade, a founding member of the Dungeon Family collective and a member of Atlanta’s renowned production team Organized Noize, co-wrote and produced TLC’s 1995 hit song “Waterfalls.” Rico Wade also passed away. 52 was his age.

His family released a statement to Entertainment Weekly saying, “We are deeply saddened by the sudden and unexpected passing of our son, father, husband, and brother Rico Wade.” “We are grieving the loss of a gifted person who had a profound impact on so many lives. Our hearts are heavy.” We kindly request that you honor our loved one’s memory and our privacy at this time.

Wade’s Organized Noize partners, Ray Murray and Sleepy Brown, along with the Dungeon Family, an Atlanta-based music collective whose alumni include OutKast, Goodie Mob, Killer Mike, Janelle Monáe, Future, and more, released a joint statement saying, “We are devastated by the news of the passing of our dear brother Rico Wade.”

They went on, “We have lost an invaluable friend, and the world has lost one of the most inventive architects in music.” Rico was the backbone of the Dungeon Family and Organized Noize, and we will always cherish his memories and the times we spent together making music as a cohesive unit. Our hearts are heavy with grief, and we respectfully ask for your understanding and privacy during this difficult time. We shall always hold a particular place in our hearts for Rico and in the music we released.

It was not stated what caused the death.