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Young Noble, longtime member of Tupac Shakur’s iconic group the Outlawz, has died at age 47. The news was confirmed Friday (July 5) by fellow Outlawz member E.D.I. Mean, who shared in a heartbreaking Instagram post that Noble reportedly died by suicide.
“Today I got some of the worst and unexpected news imaginable,” E.D.I. wrote. “My brother and partner for over 30 years took his life this morning. Rest in Power Rufus Young Noble Cooper.”
Tupac’s official Instagram account, which is run by his estate, reposted E.D.I.’s tribute in honor of Noble’s legacy.
Born Rufus Lee Cooper III, Young Noble came up in Sierra Madre, California, before moving to New Jersey as a kid. That move would prove pivotal—it’s where he linked with future Outlawz members Hussein Fatal and Yaki Kadafi, laying the foundation for what would become one of hip hop’s most respected groups.
In early 1996, Tupac personally brought Noble into the Outlawz, making him the last member Pac added to the group before his death. Noble made his mark immediately, appearing on tracks from The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory, including the classic “Hail Mary.”
Beyond his work with Pac and the Outlawz, Young Noble built a solo career that spanned more than two decades. His debut album, Noble Justice, dropped in 2002, followed by Son of God in 2012, Powerful in 2016, and 3rd Eye View in 2019. He also stayed active with group projects and collaborations that kept the Outlawz name alive in the culture.
Noble’s passing adds to a series of heartbreaking losses for the group, following the deaths of Kadafi in 1996 and Hussein Fatal in 2015. But through it all, Young Noble remained a consistent voice for Pac’s message—loyal, outspoken, and committed to the code they all lived by.
As tributes continue to pour in from across the hip hop world, one thing is clear: Young Noble’s legacy is locked in.
Rest in power.
