Diddy's First Bad Boy Artist, Craig Mack, Died of HIV-AIDS, According to His Ex-Wife's Recent Interview

Craig Mack Artist Page/Spotify

During a recent interview with Rolling Stone, Roxanne Alexis Hill-Johnson, the ex-wife of the late rapper Craig Mack, confirmed the rapper died from HIV/AIDS in 2018. Roxanne shares two children with Craig. His ex said the '90s rapper was unwilling to be treated for HIV.

Craig Mack released the hit "Flava in Ya Ear" in 1994, and 30 years later, it's still regarded as a hip-hop classic. Yet, despite Craig's talent, he became another gifted artist from Sean "Diddy" Combs' Bad Boy roster who didn't reach their full potential in the music industry. His ex-wife recalled the highs and lows of his career but explained that his decline as an artist resulted in Mack's refusal to follow Diddy's lead; she told RS, "Craig got blackballed for not listening to Diddy." She continued, "For not following that madman's path." His career with Bad Boy was not lucrative and was short-lived.

Craig Mack, Diddy, Baby Justin Combs, and Biggie Smalls

Despite the fact that the former rapper was reportedly [Bad Boy's] first signee, Craig supposedly didn't think that staying with the label was in his best interest. He released his second project outside of Bad Boy Records.

The New York rapper recorded a final interview before his death, explaining the dynamics of his soured relationship with a former industry executive that he would not name. While not calling Diddy by name, he seemed to be alluding to a reconnection with the former Bad Boy Records CEO. Mack stated, "I got with somebody, you know, I'm not going to say their name-that, wanted to do another album with me." He continued, "So I said cool, I gave my price, and the price was low." "You know, you're supposed to give me the money, and I go in the studio, and I start banging out...And he came to me and said, "Yo, I can only cut you a third of the money I'm supposed to give you...

Mack explained that he agreed to a lesser price but wanted his money in increments, in [thirds]. He said, "Give me the money as we go." Mack wanted a third to get started, a third during the recording process, and the final one-third when he finished recording the album.

Yet, the former rapper said, "Nothing happened, no money, so I stopped recording." Mack said he stopped recording and was met with opposition from the unnamed person, who is assumed to be Diddy. The late rapper explained that the unnamed person had a bull**** mafia mentality and was accompanied by goons who tried to force him to record the album without the agreed-upon payment.  

According to Mack, divine intervention interrupted his thoughts of hurting the unnamed person her referred to in his interview [after they disagreed about the project.] Mack said, "I'm like, lord, I don't want to do this, but if it comes to getting ugly to where somebody's going to be trying to kill me, I'm going to have to do something."

Years later, Craig turned to religion and belonged to what many describe as a religious cult in South Carolina at the time of his death. The former New York artist reportedly recruited others to join the cult, forwarning them that the world was near and he was a prophet. His daughter, Amanda, also spoke to RS, confirming that her father partially reared her and her brother in South Carolina in the alleged cult. Amanda said they were forced to listen to sermons on weekends, taken out of public school, and forced to get rid of their stuffed animals.

Mack's children reported they eventually left rural South Carolina—yet returned to see their father for a final time before his passing. The RS interview asserted that the "Flava in Ya Ear" rapper refused medical treatment because seeking medical attention would deny the power of God. He also decided against an extensive burial and chose to be buried on his church's compound.

His loved ones believe he learned of his HIV-positive status while in New York and lived in denial about his illness, using his relocation to South Carolina as a way to ward off his past in the entertainment industry and wished to be seen as a man og God until his end.    

Rest in peace, Craig.