Mikaben, Haitian singer, dead at age 41 after collapsing on stage at an MTV Video Music Awards pre-show in Times Square
Mikaben’s family says he was rushed off stage before his collapse
Mikaben was a star in Haiti’s music and stage scene, and his death at the height of his popularity will raise questions about the music industry in the US.
His family, who asked to remain anonymous, has released a statement saying: “We learned of the sad news of our son’s passing this evening (Wednesday) morning (Thursday) of this week, while reading about his life and career in Haitian entertainment and social media. At this point, we can confirm that our son passed away this evening.”
US music industry experts have been called in before for their opinions on the cause of Mikaben’s death. The statement read: “We would like to thank all of his fans and the Haitian music community for their compassion, the outpour of love expressed by his fans, and support shown to us as we travel to Haiti to be with our family now in this very hard time of our loss. We will be forever grateful for all of the love and support.
“We would also like to thank the many other artists and industry professionals who did not hesitate to support Mikaben’s career in Haiti and whose voices of positivity helped to build a better life for our family during our long battle with multiple health challenges.”
A rep from the Recording Academy declined to comment on the case. But the RIAA has been on the case, sending representatives to Haiti to meet with officials and work to get Mikaben’s music off the airwaves.
The Recording Academy works with the RIAA to help artists get their music off the airwaves. RIAA president Cary Sherman said: “Music can change lives and our fight to protect kids and families from illegal online streams has been hard and exhausting. We will not rest until every artist in the music industry does their part to help protect