Atlanta rap artist Rich Homie Quan, known for Type of Way and Flex (Ooh, Ooh, Ooh), died Thursday in Atlanta.

DeQuantes Devontay Lamar, 34, was one of Atlanta’s go-to artists. Raised in DeKalb County, on Atlanta’s east side, Lamar entered Atlanta’s evolving rap music scene in 2011 after a series of burglaries led to a prison sentence in Georgia. His debut hit, “Type of Way,” on his third mixtape, led to deeper connections in Atlanta’s music circles, with connections to Gucci Mane and Birdman, and eventually to rapper Young Thug.

Rich Homie Quan and Young Thug struck gold in 2014 with the song Lifestyle, which both topped the charts, landed them a spot on XXL’s Freshman Class and earned them serious success. But their musical partnership ended shortly afterward, sparking what prosecutors say was a catastrophic feud between two factions of Atlanta’s Bloods street gang. One of the victims in that conflict was Rich Homie Quan’s father, Corey Lamar, who was gunned down in a barbershop he owns by rival gang members.

Prosecutors indicted Jeffery Williams—Young Thug—in a sprawling racketeering and gangland case involving the YSL street gang in 2022, a trial that has become the longest criminal case in Georgia history. Rich Homie Quan, Birdman and other rappers were named as potential witnesses in the trial.

Rich Homie Quan stood out for his distinct style, a melodic approach that acknowledged the trap sensibilities of Atlanta rap without surrendering to them. He was a staunch opponent of rap’s increasing lyrical focus on street life, crime and violence.

Recognition of his passing and the impact he had is now pouring in from within Atlanta’s music community.

“Damn baby bro we just talked about doing a video,” Atlanta rapper 2 Chainz said on Instagram. “Special prayers for you and your family, and praying for anyone else dealing with anything. My condolences bru.”