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Kottonmouth Kings rapper Saint Dog dies at 44 after breathing trouble, fans say 'hoped to see you on stage'

Saint was one of the founding members of the Southern California hip-hop group known as Kottonmouth Kings and was a favourite for his humble persona

Rapper Saint Dog, whose real name was Steven Thronson, has died at the age of 44 after he was found struggling to breathe at his home in Victorville, CA, by his friends, as the law enforcement sources confirmed it to TMZ. He was found dead in the early hours of October 14, Wednesday. The rapper’s friends had called 911 but he was pronounced dead at the scene.

According to TMZ, there were no obvious signs of foul play and the cause of the death will be determined after the reports of an autopsy and toxicology are revealed. Saint was one of the founding members of the Southern California hip-hop group known as Kottonmouth Kings. D-Loc and Johnny Richter were the other two members of the trio.

Speaking about the late rapper, Suburban Noize Records exec Kevin Zinger told TMZ, “Anyone that knew Steve saw what a big heart he had. Some of my fondest memories was watching Steve stop the music in the middle of a Kottonmouth Kings show to bring a handicapped fan in a wheelchair on stage so that he could have a better view of the show and even join in singing a few songs. That was just the kind of person Steve was and he touched so many people in a positive way. His legacy will live on in his music and our hearts go out to his son Max and his entire family, friends and fans worldwide.”

People mourned the loss as soon as the news surfaced on the Internet. One user tweeted, "Damn dude, way too young! Was hoping to see you on stage with Richter & D-Loc after all this covid s**t was over with. #RIPSaintDog.” One social media user stated, “F**k...this blows Rest in Reefer King, clouds over the kingdom today.” Another posted, “RIP Saint Dog One of my first inspirations in hip-hop.” One individual stated, “Saddened to hear of the death of my friend & labelmate, OG Kottonmouth King Saint Dog. RIP brother. My condolences to Big Hoss & the rest of Saints family. He was a good dude who didnt seem to have an ego whatsoever. Rest in peace brother! #saintdog #kottonmouthkings.”  

As the name of the Saint Dog’s hip-hop group suggests, the trio loved rapping about weed in all capacities. The late American rapper was with the group only in the initial years where he appeared on projects such as ‘Stoners Reeking Havoc', ‘Royal Highness', ‘Stash Box’ and ‘Hidden Stash'. Saint John then pursued his solo career for a while only to return later to Kottonmouth Kings.

The late rapper, who also went by the name of Saint Vicious, was known for his hit singles such as ‘Suburban Life', ‘Bump', ‘Dog's Life’ and ‘Play On', among others.

Rest in peace.