Ol’ Dirty Bastard (36 Records, New York)
On November 13th, 2004, Russell Tyrone Jones, a.k.a. Ol’ Dirty Bastard, Big Baby Jesus, Dirt McGirt, collapsed and died at this recording studio. The 35 year old rapper was fresh out of prison and was working on a comeback album at the time. He had been complaining about chest pains for days, but had refused to go to a doctor. An autopsy revealed a lethal mix of painkillers and cocaine in his system (a small plastic bag full of cocaine was found in his stomach).
John Entwistle (Hard Rock Hotel, Las Vegas)
Who bassist John Entwistle died like a true rock star: high on coke and in bed with a stripper in Las Vegas. The Who were one day away from kicking off their 2002 tour at the Hard Rock Hotel at the time, and Entwistle came to town early to appear at a local art gallery that was displaying his paintings. He met up with local stripper Alison Rowse at the bar and they quickly retreated to his room. A few weeks later she blabbed to a UK tabloid that after they had sex she had trouble falling asleep because of his loud snoring - but she was greatly relieved when it finally stopped. When she woke up he was cold.
Sid Vicious (63 Bank Street, New York)
On February 1st, Vicious was released from jail after making bond on charges that he murdered his girlfriend, Nancy Spungen. Deeply depressed, he went to his new girlfriend’s apartment at 63 Bank Street. She threw a party for him and Sid spent the night shooting up heroin; he got into bed that night and never woke up. His ashes were sprinkled over Nancy’s grave, in Philadelphia, much to the horror of Nancy’s parents, who blamed him for the murder of their daughter.
Bob Marley (Cedars of Lebanon Hospital, Miami)
In 1980 Bob Marley was flying to Jamaica from a cancer clinic in Germany when the plane landed in Miami because Marley was gravely ill. Three years earlier doctors discovered a malignant melanoma on his right big toe, but he refused to have it amputated due to his Rastatari beliefs that the body must remain whole. In late 1980 he learned the cancer had spread to his entire body and no treatment could cure it. Desperate, he flew to Germany where he met with former SS doctor Josef Issels who attempted alternative treatments that proved fruitless. He died on May 11, 1981 at this hospital. His final word to his son Ziggy were “Money can’t buy life.”