NC Hip-Hop icon Kevin "Rowdy" Rowsey dies

A local Hip-Hop artist and UNC-Chapel Hill educator died, the North Carolina Arts Council announced Thursday on Facebook.

The executive director of Blackspace, Kevin "Rowdy" Rowsey II was a national Hip-Hop artist, writer and educator.

The arts council said Rowsey created two Triangle-area cyphers – the UNC Cypher at UNC-Chapel Hill and the Med City Cypher in Durham.

He held positions as a U.S. Hip-Hop ambassador through the U.S. Department of State and the Next Level Hip-Hop program, the arts council said.

Rowdy's resume boasts appearances on BET, NPR, and even PBS Kids. He's a passionate advocate for Hip Hop culture, as evidenced by his TEDX talk.

Rowdy championed Southern Hip Hop. He built cypher spaces (UNC & Med City) and led Blackspace, a cultural hub for teens. From performing to workshops, he tirelessly spread the culture everywhere.