Curtis Mayfield (38)

Curtis Mayfield
1942-1999
Politicized soul pioneer, quadriplegic
Cause of Death: Never verified, though years of poor health followed his paralysis after a 1990 onstage accident.

Enemy of Estate: From '60s R&B trio the Impressions through his monumental solo career, Mayfield recorded more than 100 charting singles and amassed an impressive estate. In 2003, however, Mayfield's widow Altheida successfully settled a suit to remove Marv Heiman, the artist's manager and trustee, from the family's trusts, alleging that Heiman had paid himself millions in fees and caused tax difficulties for both her and her six children.
Peer Plaudits: Mayfield's music continues to be part of hip-hop's DNA: Kanye West's recent song "Touch the Sky" is essentially Curtis's "Move On Up" with different lyrics. In 2002 Mayfield's family placed an ad in Billboard thanking rappers like Snoop and Jay-Z who had sampled his music (and provided a contact number, presumably to drum up more business). The same year, Heiman was quoted as saying he received five sample requests a month--each one can fetch up to $350,000 for Mayfield's estate.