Rufus Lee Cooper III, better known as Young Noble and the last member personally added to Tupac Shakur’s rap collective the Outlawz, died on 4 July in Atlanta at the age of 47. Multiple industry outlets, citing local authorities and people close to the artist, said the death appears to be a suicide caused by a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Fellow Outlawz rapper E.D.I. Mean confirmed the news on Instagram, writing that his collaborator of more than three decades “took his life this morning” and asking for privacy for the family. Born in Sierra Madre, California, Cooper moved to New Jersey as a child and met several future Outlawz members before reconnecting with Shakur in 1996. He made his recording debut the same year on Shakur’s posthumous album “The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory,” appearing on tracks including “Hail Mary” and “Life of an Outlaw.” Over nearly three decades, Young Noble released four solo studio albums—“Noble Justice,” “Son of God,” “Powerful” and “3rd Eye View”—and remained an active member of the group, which continued to tour and record after Shakur’s death. Local authorities have not yet issued a final report on the circumstances surrounding the shooting. The artist had publicly discussed health challenges after surviving a heart attack in 2021. Industry peers have highlighted the case as another reminder of persistent mental-health pressures in the music business.