Canadian hip hop community mourns the loss of Sault artist

The hip hop community of Sault Ste. Marie – and nation-wide – is in mourning today after news broke onto social media last evening that local MC Justice Donavan Levar, AKA Don Mulatto, had passed away.

“…rapper Don Mulatto passed away today,” wrote Sault DJ Shane Erickson (AKA DJ Seith) on the Soo York City Urban Arts Collective’s Facebook page. “I had only had the chance to kick it with him a small handful of times, and it seemed like every time we would meet, he would be in full grind mode. I respect seeing someone conjure up the hustle like he did. I understand he had touched many Soo York Citizens in one way or another, so it is with that in mind that I'd like to make this little space that we've all helped to cultivate available for anyone that wants to share memories, to vent, to grieve and to come together in solidarity for a fellow artist.”

The 20-year-old Sault artist had amassed a large catalogue of original material, collaborating in recent months with Sese, Thoby G, TG Savage, AWOL, Outspoken Corboy and others.

Active in the local music scene since the age of 15, Mulatto and Corboy spent the last four years working on material together.

“He was inspirational in the sense that he always had multiple albums on the go,“ Corboy told SooToday. “He was phenomenal and always pushed me to move on to the next project when ever I got stuck.”

Although there was a decade separating them, Corboy said as the pair grew closer, they learned from each other and not only became better musicians because of it, but better people.

“He was a loving, caring and compassionate friend that impacted so many people in such a positive way,” he said.

Corboy said Mulatto’s unreleased catalogue contains as many as 100 tracks that he and his crew of friends plan to send away for mastering.

The finished material will be released as a legacy project.

He also said a local show to honour Mulatto is in the works.

Event details will be released shortly.

“We are truly devastated by this loss and cannot even begin to imagine how the Levar and Hache family feels. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers,” wrote Dutch Unkle in a HipHopCanada article published today. “HipHopCanada is planning a tribute for Donny that will be published when it’s ready. Rest In Peace Justice Donavan Levar aka Don Mulatto.”

Although not officially a Tidal Records artist, producer Dustin Jones told SooToday that Mulatto spent many hours in Mission Control Studio.

“Such a passionate music maker,” Jones said. “Such a sad loss.”

Fans, family and friends are invited to listen to Mulatto’s work on SoundCloud.

Mulatto’s death comes just one week following the passing of his mother Lois Levar on June 14.

Funeral arrangements for Justice Donavan Levar, AKA Don Mulatto, have yet to be announced.