Q revolutionized hip hop and urban media with world star hip hop. You can scream “Worldstar!” next time you go to the doctor. If so, it’s another reminder of how maintaining healthy habits is something that so many black men have difficulty doing in many parts of America. There’s speculation that heart failure, brought on by obesity issues, was the cause of death for O’Denat. It’s particularly sad because WSHH had just inked a deal with MTV2 to create a television series. You didn’t have to like it, but the site had legit exclusive content. As as complicated of a legacy as it gets, but easily one of the most influential hip-hop figures of the millennium.īy balancing the boom of the internet as an independent distribution platform and a proverbial renaissance of ratchet, WSHH embodied everything about a world that wasn’t ready to accept it as a major player in the game. 'American Home Funniest Video' is the white mans 'Worldstar Hiphop' for the '90s For all the random montages of women with few clothes on, there was some kid dancing his face off in a living room that made you wonder when they’d be famous. For every absurd fight video, there might have been a reasonable mixtape to listen to. He’s no longer with us, but the impact of the website he created, while measurable in clicks and page views, cannot be overvalued from a culture standpoint.Īmong a certain cadre of people who consider themselves tastemakers, WSHH was an ugly duckling that grew into not a beautiful swan, but a hulklike mutant that permanently realigned the balance of power in hip-hop and, to an extent, black culture altogether. The creator of WorldStarHipHop died in San Diego while visiting a massage parlor, according to the Los Angeles Times. Lee “Q” O’Denat will never get the credit he deserves. We ask that you remember Q in your prayers and raise a toast to the sky in his name.Ī post shared by WorldStar Hip Hop / WSHH on at 1:50pm PST WorldStarHipHop will continue in its various endeavors. We will miss his hearty laugh and warm spirit. But more than that, he was a devoted father and one of the nicest, most generous persons to ever grace this planet. Q was a brilliant businessman who championed urban culture, ultimately creating the largest hiphop website in the world.

With profound sadness, WorldStarHipHop and its employees, state that Lee ODenat, known as “Q”, the founder, leader and genius behind the website and brand has passed in San Diego.

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