An airplane stunt turned deadly for Canadian rapper Jon James during a music video shoot in Vernon, British Columbia.
The performer, whose full name was Jon James McMurray, walked too far out on the wing of an airborne Cessna during Saturday’s filming, forcing it into a downward spiral, his management team told CNN on Tuesday. He eventually let go and was killed when he hit the ground.
He was 34.
“Jon held onto the wing until it was too late, and by the time he let go, he didn’t have time to pull his chute,” Ryan Desrochers of James’ management team told the news network. “He impacted and died instantly.”
The pilot regained control of the plane and landed safely, according to The Globe and Mail.
“Jon was an incredibly passionate person and was always smiling,” his team said in a statement, per Billboard. “He filled everyone around him with positivity, and never spoke poorly about another person. He truly had a heart of gold.”
“He’s a legend,” James’ wife, Kali, wrote with an Instagram video of one of his stunts. “I will forever live in your legacy.”
In addition to his wife, James is survived by his father, mother and brother, People noted.
James, who often performed stunts for his videos, posted a clip of his daredevil exploits earlier this month.
James was an acrobatic skier who turned to rap after breaking his back, People reported. His thrill-seeking persisted in his music.
Some of James’ music videos attracted hundreds of thousands of views.
A new track titled “Patron” appeared Monday on his YouTube channel.
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