Pakelika Dies of Health Complications

Patrick "Pakelika" Cochrun, the former masked member of Placentia-bred hip-hop hybrid Kottonmouth Kings, died on Saturday night after succumbing to cardiac arrest during an asthma attack.

The band, lead by Brad "Daddy X" Xavier, first posted on Facebook that the former hype man was admitted to the hospital because of "serious health issues." They updated their status to confirm his passing about an hour later. Though he'd left the group in 2010 due to internal conflicts and to pursue of his acting career, the self-proclaimed "Visual Assassin" was an integral part of the group's rise to stoner rap notoriety through their live shows. At 6'7" tall, he was a towering presence on stage with a goofy gangsta persona and encyclopedic pot knowledge.

According to a statement from Cochrun's manager Doug Cosgro, the performer battled asthma for many years.

"There's no way he could have foreseen the severity of his last seizure," Cosgro says. "On the way to the hospital, EMTs and hospital staff tried to revive him the five times he flatlined. He was on life support until Saturday afternoon at Providence St. Joseph Hospital in Burbank. He passed surrounded by friends and family."

After leaving the group, Pakelika, aka "Big Pak", started a new group called Middle Class Casualties.

Among the outpouring of messages from fans and KMK members, the band published this note on their blog yesterday:

Kings and Kweens,

We are out on the Mile high tour preparing for the release of "Mile High" this Tuesday-At such a exciting time for the Group. We were blindsided, shocked and saddened by the terrible news about former member & friend, Pakelika's sudden death. Nothing prepares you for such news. It is another example of how precious life really is. It has been a couple years since Big Pak performed with the Kings, but his presence and impact will be felt and live forever. Patrick "Pakelika" Cochrun was a very unique and special person. He is a man that had convictions and honor. We had traveled the world together and played hundreds of shows together. The memories and experiences we had together will live forever in our hearts and souls. We want to thank the underground for the tremendous outpouring of grief and support.Take care of yourselves and spread love and positive vibrations..Rest in peace Big Pak you will be missed! - Kmk

If you're not too busy to take a slice out of your day to take a bong rip in Big Pak's honor, we suggest you do so. In case you're wondering how the big, lanky street hustler with gold chains and a burn patient's mask managed to join the carnival of KMK, take a look at this video and witness one of the greatest stories ever told.

Here's hoping that he's already begun to R.I.P.---his bong in heaven.


MY RESPONSE: So fucking shitty to hear this, it's sad to look at his last few tweets, he was so happy about everything, he was doing music, and he was geeked that the Lakers got Dwight Howard, he wasn't ready to go. it's really sad. I'll never forget the first time I saw the Kings live in 1998, Pakelika was the first thing I noticed, he kept everyone glued to the stage, I swear he was the main attraction for an unknown group at the time, and I really think they wouldn't have been as big as they are without him.

Why he hasn't been with the group since 2009 is beyond me, it has made me STOP going to KMK shows, I can't go see them without Pakelika. It just wasn't right. When I met him in 2004 at an instore, I asked him when he was gonna hit the stage and do his music, he said 'hopefully soon'. Makes me wonder why Subnoize held him back.

He has 2 records out, I'll post them both up here in his memory, NOW GO BLAZE ONE FOR BIG PAK!!! REST IN PEACE

Rest In Peace KMG (Above The Law)

I've decided that occasionally I may drop some news, usually just the really important news or things that pertain to me. So here goes

KMG, gangsta rap pioneer of Above the Law, passed away

July 10, 2012|By August Brown (Courtesy of L.A. Times)

Though it's been a great year for gangsta-rap nostalgia, this past weekend saw the loss of one of the Southland's pioneering figures in the rap game. Kevin Gulley, who performed as KMG the Illutstrator in the Pomona group Above the Law, passed away this weekend according to several sources, including the Twitter account of his longtime collaborator, the MC Kokane.

Above the Law were peers of N.W.A and one of the inventors of the gangsta-rap sound that paired suave productions with brash, violent lyrics. The group released eight albums in its 22-year career on the Ruthless, Death Row and Tommy Boy labels, among others, including early genre landmarks like 1990's "Livin' Like Hustlers" and 1993's "Black Mafia Life," which was relased less than two months after Dr Dre's genre watermark, "The Chronic."
The group scored two gold albums in its heyday, and Gulley's standout tracks with Above the Law included the beloved ATL/N.W.A posse track, "The Last Song" (link contains profanity), and also "Untouchable," "Murder Rap" and "Black Superman." Above the Law made credible claims to influencing much of the gangsta rap explosion that followed (and had strained relations with Dre, Snoop and other local peers afterward). The group also collaborated on the West Coast All-Stars track "We're All in the Same Gang" that espoused anti-violence activism amid the growing gang crisis in L.A. at the time.
Early details about Gulley's death, including the exact time and cause, weren't yet available Monday afternoon. (Big Hutch confirms it was a heart attack -- Below)  Rap peers including MC Ren, Ice-T and Warren G paid tribute, while Kokane said of his passing "1 of the greatest MCz on da West has passed! My heart hurt so bad! On my life, I will keep his legacy Alive!! I'll miss U forever... RIP KMG."

Big Hutch aka Cold187 Issues Statement

(AllHipHop News) Above The Law group member Big Hutch has issued a statement and regards to the passing of fellow group member KMG.
KMG, born Kevin Michael Gulley, was a founding member of Above The Law, which released records on Eazy-E’s legendary Ruthless Records imprint.
According to Big Hutch, KMG died from a heart attack while taking a shower.
“I would like to thank everyone for their condolences during this unexpected difficult time for myself, the group Above The Law, as well as our families and close friends,” Big Hutch said in a statement released today (July 10).
“I had received a phone call Friday night, July 6th, that KMG had collapsed in the shower from an apparent heart attack, but that fact is to be determined after we get the autopsy report. There was no foul play involved and my dear friend KMG’s death was simply by natural cause.”
KMG’s death was a shock to Big Hutch, who had just spoken with KMG and group member Total Chaos.

“It is shocking and tragic to all of us because he showed no symptoms that he was suffering from any type of heart disease or any type of other illnesses,” Big Hutch revealed. “Plus, I was just on the phone with him and Total K-OSS a few days prior discussing the new Above The Law album and my upcoming solo release with Psychopathic Records.”
KMG’s untimely death is a blow to Above The Law, which had been discussing a new group album, since Big Hutch’s re-emergence as an artist on Insane Clown Posse’s record label, Psychopathic Records.
“We were further discussing, as Above The Law, it was time to move on the with the project and were coordinating plans to do so; then this had happened,” a somber Big Hutch continued. “I also would like to thank everyone for their patience in me responding to media and other close online publications.”
Here is the rest of Big Hutch’s statement regarding the death of KMG:
KMG and I, as you all know, go way back since the best years of Ruthless Records and prior. He has been my right hand man along with Total K-OSS and his abrupt passing was just totally unexpected and shocking to all of us.
I personally have been in a daze since receiving the news and I just needed some time to myself and to put things back into perspective so I can re-focuse on the commitments and obligations I have to music and Hip-Hop.
If I hear anything else that our fans need to know, I will indeed inform the powers to be and get that information out to everyone.
Once again, thank you everyone for your caring concerns and the love you still have for KMG, myself, and Above The Law after all these years. And as with Eazy, we will continue to keep his memory and legacy alive through music.”
~ Big Hutch
Also, very coincidental, I already was planning an Above The Law VOLUME soon, but the news of KMG's passing pushed it to the front of my priorities. It'll be up tomorrow VOLUME 26 - A.T.L.