Young Noble, a rapper best known as a member of Tupac Shakur’s group the Outlawz, died by suicide on July 4, 2025, in Atlanta, Georgia. He was 47 years old.
Rufus Lee Cooper III, professionally known as Young Noble, was discovered deceased Friday morning from what authorities reported appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound. His passing was confirmed both by his representative and by fellow Outlawz member E.D.I. Mean.
E.D.I. Mean shared the heartbreaking news on Instagram Friday afternoon, calling it some of the most devastating and unexpected news he could imagine. He wrote that his friend and musical collaborator of over three decades had taken his own life and asked for privacy as they grieve. Mean also highlighted the seriousness of mental health struggles and urged others to check on the well-being of those close to them.
Noble was born on March 21, 1978, in Sierra Madre, California, later moving to New Jersey as a child. It was there that he connected with future Outlawz members Hussein Fatal and Yaki Kadafi. He eventually returned to California, where he once again crossed paths with Tupac Shakur during the “All Eyez on Me” era.
In early 1996, Young Noble became the last artist personally invited by Tupac to join the Outlawz, just a few months before Tupac was killed in September of that year. He made his first appearance with the group on Shakur’s posthumous album “The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory,” which was released in November 1996 and debuted at number one on the Billboard 200.
Noble performed on four tracks from that album, delivering a memorable verse on “Hail Mary.” He was also featured on “Bomb First (My Second Reply),” “Life of an Outlaw,” and “Just Like Daddy.” The project was recorded under Tupac’s alias Makaveli.
After Tupac’s passing, Noble continued working with the Outlawz as the group put out several albums. They contributed to the soundtrack for Tupac’s posthumous 1997 film “Gang Related,” which climbed to number two on the charts, with Noble featured on “Mash for Our Dreams” alongside Daz Dillinger.
In 1999, the Outlawz released “Still I Rise,” a collaborative project with Tupac that peaked at number six on the Billboard 200 and went platinum. Noble’s voice was heard on 11 of the album’s tracks, including “Still I Rise,” “Secretz of War,” and “The Good Die Young.”
The group established their own label, Outlaw Recordz, and debuted their solo effort “Ride wit Us or Collide wit Us” in 2000, with Noble performing on 14 songs. This period also marked the beginning of his solo career.
Noble released his first solo record, “Noble Justice,” in 2002, and followed up with “Son of God” in 2012, “Powerful” in 2016, “3rd Eye View” in 2019, and “Outlaw University” in 2023. He also worked on collaborative projects with artists like Layzie Bone of Bone Thugs-n-Harmony and Stic.man from Dead Prez.
In May 2021, Noble survived a major heart attack and shared updates about his recovery on Instagram, expressing his appreciation for a new lease on life and reminding fans about the importance of health and managing stress.
His final Instagram post, dated June 22, 2025, shared a message of encouragement, telling followers that their seeing the post was no accident, and assuring them that blessings, answers, healing, love, and positive changes were on the way, urging people to stay strong and hang in there.
The hip-hop community rallied with an outpouring of sympathy. Snoop Dogg, who had been signed alongside Tupac at Death Row Records, spoke out on the importance of addressing mental health. DJ Premier wrote that he was at a loss for words, while artists such as E-40, Xzibit, Krayzie Bone, and Treach also offered support in online tributes.
In response to Noble’s passing, his family started a GoFundMe organized by Jacqueline Lesane to help cover funeral and related costs.
Noble’s death is the latest tragedy for the Outlawz. Founding member Yafeu “Yaki Kadafi” Fula was fatally shot in Orange, New Jersey, in 1996 at the age of 19. Hussein Fatal died in a 2015 car crash near Atlanta at 42, and Mussolini, better known as Big Syke, passed away in 2016 at age 48.