Who was rapper Bad Azz? Snoop Dogg's friend dead in jail at 43

The West Coast artist was arrested on Friday, Nov. 8 on domestic violence charges in Wildomar, California.

Bad Azz
Instagram grab/Snoop Dogg

Rapper Bad Azz, whose original name was Jamarr Antonio Stamps, died at the age of 43 while being held at the Southwest Detention Center in Riverside County, California. Bad Azz was arrested on Friday, Nov. 8 on domestic violence charges in Wildomar, California.

The West Coast artist was set to appear in court on Wednesday morning, according to booking information. His bail amount was set at $10,000. A cause of death for the rapper, known for songs like "Wrong Idea" and "We Be Puttin It Down," is yet to be revealed.

Bad Azz, who was a friend of Snoop Dogg and also a collaborator, was mourned on social media. Snoop Dogg wrote: "Damn. R. I. P. To my young. D. P. G. L. L. G. L. B. C. Crew original @badazzlbc gone 2 soon." In a second post honoring the musician, Snoop captioned a photo with emojis that symbolized his heartbreak.

Ice T also expressed his shock over the news, writing: "Man!!! Just hearing about the loss of another soldier.. Waaaay to soon! RestInPeace Lil Homie... BadAzz DoggPoundGangsterCrip."

Rapper and producer Daz Dillinger shared several tributes to Bad Azz on Instagram.

Bad Azz released the single "Midnite Snack" in September, and a full album, The Nu Adventures of Bad Azz, a year ago. His first solo album, "Word On Tha Streets," was released in 1998. He has worked with Ice Cube, Busta Rhymes and Tupac Shakur.