Earlier this week, it was reported that 25-year-old model and rapper Chynna Rogers had passed away. The Philadelphia Department of Public Health has confirmed to Billboard that her death was ruled an accidental drug overdose.
“Rest In Peace Chynna,” said her management team in a statement on Instagram. “Heartbroken. All the love to those she left behind. Goodbye angel.”
Chynna was discovered by a Ford modeling scout at Six Flags Great Adventure in New Jersey when she was just 14 years old. They signed her that next week. For three years, she did catalog work for the company.
At the age of 15, the late ASAP Yams asked Chynna to be his intern, but they ended up being friends instead. He encouraged her to begin writing her own raps and she began performing with ASAP Mob. She released viral hits “Selfie” in 2013 and “Glen Coco” in 2014.
Her music began to rack up thousands of streams. Although things were looking great for her on the music scene, she was battling an opiate addiction. After being sober for three months, she released Ninety, a mixtape where she exposed her rawest truths about the addiction. Her most recent EP, in case i die first, was released in 2019.
“I didn’t want to be a statistic. I didn’t want to go out that way and people be like: ‘I told you so,” or glamorize it [drugs], because I don’t feel like that,” she told VIBE in 2018, after being clean for several years. “It was nerve-wracking to be open, but when you see how many more people who are dealing with the same thing, it’s good to have some kind of example of someone you didn’t expect to be going through it.”
In the wake of her passing, many of her close friends in the industry have shared their condolences on social media.
Kehlani tweeted, “Chynna you were fuckin hilarious bro… today was our last exchange of jokes & those i will miss the most. i can’t believe it idk how to i love you. so very much. my heart is officially iced.”
SZA posted on Instagram, “Owe u a vacation an some mo shit .. can’t believe it . Not sure what the fucks goin on but I really hope everybodys okay. Loving u ma.. so precious so pure ..I’m so sorry 🙏🏾🖤💔 😔 bless ur spirit🕊travel safe @chizzyano.”
Vince Staples wrote on Instagram, “I don’t like doing this when my people go but I think everybody needs to know that you were special. Too special for words. Stay outta trouble lil cuh.”
We continue to send our thoughts and prayers to Chynna’s family and friends.