‘A Giant Tower of Our Time’

Harry Belafonte died earlier this week. He was 96 years old.

Ken Sunshine, longtime representative for Belafonte, confirmed in a press release Belafonte died due to congestive heart failure. He was at his New York home when he died at age 96 “with his wife Pamela [Frank] by his side.”

TMZ caught up with Chuck D of Public Enemy, who was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame by Belafonte, and he shared the late legend’s impact on his life.

“Harry Belafonte is a giant tower of our time. He signified in his whole 96 years of his existence, his dignity, his grace, his power, and strength. He never was thinking about me. He was thinking about we.

Mr. B said he was an activist that became an artist, not an artist to become an activist. He is a father figure to our community, and I have the utmost privilege and joy for him to be able to share his time and counsel, laughs, wisdom, and intelligence. He inducted Public Enemy into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and we honored him that night by him honoring us. We honored him that night, and we fought for that to happen. I am very proud to use what we had in a platform to honor what he stood for in his life.”

You can hear it from Chuck D below and read more about Mr. B here. Rest in peace, Harry Belafonte.