{{Short description|American rapper (1970–2024)}} {{Infobox musical artist <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject Musicians --> | name = Saafir | image = | background = solo_singer | birth_name = Reggie Gibson | birth_date = {{birth date|1970|08|23}} | birth_place = Oakland, California, U.S. | death_date = {{death date and age|2024|11|19|1970|08|23}} | death_place = Oakland, California | alias = {{hlist|Mr. No No|The Shaft Sizzle|The Saucee Nomad}} | instrument = | genre = Hip hop | occupation = {{hlist|Rapper|record producer|actor|lyricist}} | label = {{hlist|Qwest|Reprise|Warner Bros.|Priority|EMI|ABB}} | past_member_of = {{hlist|Digital Underground|Hobo Junction|Golden State Project}} }}
'''Reggie Gibson''' (August 23, 1970 – November 19, 2024), better known as '''Saafir''', was an American rapper, producer, and actor. He was also a member of the rap group Golden State Project (formerly known as Golden State Warriors) with Ras Kass and Xzibit.
==Life and career== Born in Oakland, California, he lived with Tupac Shakur and became a dancer for Digital Underground.
In November 1994, Saafir took part in one of the most notorious Bay Area rap battles, when he and members of the Hobo Junction went against Casual and members of the Hieroglyphics Crew.<ref>{{Citation |title=The Battle - Casual x Saafir - A Shomari Smith Short Film |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QC7OtfYxDaQ |access-date=2023-11-15 |language=en}}</ref> The battle was broadcast live by organizers Sway & King Tech on KMEL's ''The Wake Up Show''. Coverage of the battle in March 1995's issue of ''The Source''<ref>{{Cite web |last=Unikone |date=2021-01-23 |title=HipHop-TheGoldenEra: Documentary : The Battle - Casual x Saafir - A Shomari Smith Short Film |url=https://hiphop-thegoldenera.blogspot.com/2021/01/documentary-battle-casual-x-saafir.html |access-date=2023-11-15 |website=HipHop-TheGoldenEra}}</ref> brought national exposure to the Bay Area hip-hop scene.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-02-01 |title=The Bay Area Rap Battle Heard 'Round the World |url=https://www.kqed.org/arts/13924170/hieroglyphics-hobo-junction-battle-documentary |access-date=2023-11-15 |website=KQED |language=en-us}}</ref>
Saafir made his recording debut on several cuts on Digital Underground's ''The Body-Hat Syndrome'' in 1993, followed by an appearance on Casual's ''Fear Itself'' in early 1994. He appeared in the film ''Menace II Society'' as Harold Lawson<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0107554/|title=Menace II Society|website=IMDb.com|accessdate=January 22, 2020}}</ref> and was featured on the film's soundtrack. With a deal from Qwest Records,<ref name="sfbg.com">{{Cite web|url=http://sfbgarchive.48hills.org/sfbgarchive/2013/03/26/injured-player-game/|title=Injured player in the game|website=Sfbgarchive.48hills.org|accessdate=January 22, 2020|archive-date=September 23, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200923173008/http://sfbgarchive.48hills.org/sfbgarchive/2013/03/26/injured-player-game/|url-status=dead}}</ref> Saafir recruited the Hobo Junction production team (J Groove, J.Z., Rational, Big Nose, and Poke Martian) for his freestyle debut, ''Boxcar Sessions'' (1994). He recorded an album titled ''Trigonometry'' under the alias Mr. No No before returning as Saafir in ''The Hit List'' (1999). ''The Hit List'' was considered Saafir's attempt at commercial acceptance. The album featured production by Stevie J (made famous for his work with P. Diddy's Hitmen production team) and guest vocals from West Coast heavyweights Kam and Jayo Felony and controversial East Coast lyricist Chino XL. In 2006, he released his fourth album, ''Good Game: The Transition'' (ABB Records, 2006). The album covers the major transitions throughout his life, most notably his spinal tumor, and his conversion to Islam.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rapreviews.com/2006/11/saafir-good-game-the-transition/|title=SAAFIR :: GOOD GAME: THE TRANSITION|date=28 November 2006|access-date=13 December 2021}}</ref>
Starting in 2012 Saafir's son, Saafir Gibson began to release music under the moniker Saafir.{{cn|date=November 2024}}
==Injury from TWA Flight 843== On July 30, 1992, Saafir was one of the passengers flying on TWA Flight 843; he suffered a back injury as a consequence of evacuating an aborted takeoff and consequent hard landing, crash and fire.<ref name="Davy D's Hip-Hop Corner">{{cite web|last=D|first=Davy|title=Shock G of Digital Underground Explains Why Saafir is Bound to a Wheelchair|url=http://hiphopandpolitics.wordpress.com/2013/02/12/shock-g-of-digital-underground-explains-why-saafir-is-bound-to-a-wheelchair/|publisher=Word Press}}</ref>
In February 2013, on Davey D's Hip-Hop Corner, Digital Underground leader Shock G revealed that Saafir had begun using a wheelchair due to complications from his spinal surgery.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://hiphopandpolitics.wordpress.com/2013/02/12/shock-g-of-digital-underground-explains-why-saafir-is-bound-to-a-wheelchair/|title=Shock G of Digital Underground Explains Why Saafir is Bound to a Wheelchair|website=Hiphopandpolitics.wordpress.com|date=February 12, 2013|accessdate=January 22, 2020}}</ref> Saafir later appeared on Sway & King Tech's ''The Wake Up Show'' to confirm his condition and clear up some of the misconceptions stemming from Shock G's announcement.<ref name="sfbg.com"/>
==Death== Saafir had been struggling with various health issues for quite a substantial amount of time leading up to his death. On November 19, 2024, it was announced that Saafir had died, "at 8:45 a.m., surrounded by friends and family." The cause of death was revealed to be sepsis and enterocolitis. Infected sacral decubitis was also reportedly a factor in his death.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Saunders |first=Angel |title=Rapper Saafir, 54, died of septic shock and intestine inflammation, death certificate shows |url=https://www.people.com/rapper-saafir-cause-of-death-revealed-septic-shock-intestine-inflammation-8764529 |website=People |publisher=Dotdash Meredith |date=2024-12-19 |access-date=2025-11-20}}</ref> He was 54.<ref>{{Cite web | url = https://www.kqed.org/arts/13968340/saafir-dead-oakland-rapper-dies-at-54 | title = Saafir, Inventive and Dextrous Oakland Rapper, Dies at 54 | last = Meline | first = Gabe | date = 19 November 2024 | website = kqed.org | publisher = KQED | access-date = 19 November 2024 | quote = Saafir, the raspy-voiced Oakland rapper who infused the rhythms of avant-garde jazz into his rhymes, died on Tuesday morning, according to family. He was 54. }}</ref>
==Discography== *1994: ''Boxcar Sessions'' *1998: ''Trigonometry'' *1999: ''The Hit List'' *2006: ''Good Game: The Transition'' *2009: ''Fast Lane'' (EP)
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{IMDb name|0754280}} * [http://www.daveyd.com/interviewsaafirstealth.html Interview by Mark Pollard] (October 1998) * {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20061214191139/http://www.therapcella.com/pages/artists/2092.htm Saafir @ TheRapCella.com]}} * [http://www.cantstopwontstopthemovie.com/saaffir%20.html Movie Cant Stop Wont Stop with Saafir] * [http://www.sfbg.com/noise/2013/03/27/reality-rap-qa-saafir-saucee-nomad Interview] with Garrett Caples (March 2013)
{{Saafir}} {{Digital Underground}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:1970 births Category:2024 deaths Category:21st-century African-American rappers Category:21st-century American rappers Category:20th-century American male rappers Category:20th-century American rappers Category:Rappers from Oakland, California Category:West Coast hip-hop musicians Category:Qwest Records artists Category:Reprise Records artists Category:Warner Records artists Category:21st-century African-American male rappers Category:21st-century American male rappers