R.I.P. Camu Tao
Camu Tao – “Hold The Floor“
from Definitive Jux Presents Vol. 2 (Definitive Jux, 2002)
Ohio’s Camu Tao passed away yesterday after battling lung cancer. I can’t profess to an expert on his catalog, but I’ve always held “Hold The Floor” as something of a personal classic. Respect to his friends, fans and family.
Details, via El-P, after the jump
Today, at around 2pm, our dear friend, family member and musical collaborator Tero “CAMU TAO” Smith passed away in his home town of Columbus, Ohio. Tero had been quietly fighting for his life for the last year and a half after being diagnosed with lung cancer.
To those who knew Tero, he was an almost uncategorizable force of nature. Wild, hilarious, proud, loving, tough, outspoken, spontaneous and brilliant. He wore his heart on his sleeve and he dripped creativity, leaving inspiration and awe in the hearts and minds of anyone who was fortunate enough to see him work.
We, his friends and family, have truly had our collective hearts broken by his passing. Not only because of the loss of our friend, but because of the loss of his contribution to those who never knew what we knew about his talent and his potential. He was the secret that no one wanted to keep and we always knew that one day his vision and his heart could change music forever the way he changed all of our lives.
His departure from us all 1 month away from his 31st birthday is nothing less than a tragedy… nothing less than a crime. he was a gift to us all and he is irreplaceable. Rest in peace, Mu. We will love you forever. May god bless you and your family.
R.I.P.
Tero “CAMU TAO” Smith
born 6/26/77, passed 5/25/08
wm/ccsincerely,
jaime “el-p” meline (on behalf of many, many wonderful and broken hearted friends)
May 26th, 2008 at 11:52 pm
around 98 or 99, first time i saw MHz, him tage and copy were onstage rocking.. Camu was rocking a yellow raincoat with the rubbery hat to match. i was impressed.
…
May 27th, 2008 at 12:43 am
Fuck. Thats a shame, you could literally hear that dude pour it all out on a track.
May 27th, 2008 at 1:14 am
dj prizm passed pretty recently too i believe
RIP
May 27th, 2008 at 1:16 am
“dj prizm passed pretty recently too i believe”
Damn. RIP
http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/news/id.5344/title.r-i-p-dj-przm
May 27th, 2008 at 2:33 am
I always told people about S.A. Smash that shit is so underated, hopefully people will look at that shit in the future. Camu Tao was so dope…RIP.
May 27th, 2008 at 4:13 am
damn. this is fucking tragic. i highly recommend people check out his independently released “blair cosby” cd’s. they are dirty raw, random, funny, and strangely catchy.
he was slimming down noticeably in recent years. i assumed it was drugs… recreational ones, not chemo or some shit. fuck. RIP ‘mu.
May 27th, 2008 at 9:17 am
I can’t believe that, that’s really, really sad news;
it’s funny though that you liked “hold the floor”, it’s personnaly what made me want to check for Camu’s other material, I remember it was one of my fav track from the def jux compilation.
I loved his energy
May 27th, 2008 at 12:37 pm
nighthawks lp w/ cage was dope too
i was so so on sa smash but that song w/ the line about “an ass like jennifer NUH Serena Williams” was hot to me
May 27th, 2008 at 1:45 pm
During 1995 through 1997 he was held in high regard as one of the best freestyle rappers in Columbus.Representing the MegaHertz crew at Grad Night 1997 in Kings Island, Camu was freestyle flowing as he walked through the amusement park, and people followed him as he continued to flow. The crowd of followers was at least 50 people. I had never seen this done by anybody in rap. He was one of a kind! My prayers are with his family and friends.
May 27th, 2008 at 2:53 pm
Damn R.I.P. homie, that Weathermen shit was dope. Not a big fan of El-P’s production, but Tao could spit some good shit.
May 27th, 2008 at 5:52 pm
I had no idea!
May 27th, 2008 at 6:12 pm
Hey noz, have you read that ?
http://therapup.rawkus.com/2008/05/bun-b-interview-part-2-bun-talks-new-ugk-album.html#more-3185
It’s great Bun give props to tum tum, but sad that at the same time, the interviewer understood “chum chum”. Cool for big tuck, too.
(or perhaps there IS a Chum chum, and the proximity of the big tuck name made me think of a mistake? Mmm..)
May 27th, 2008 at 8:05 pm
Julia, thanks for pointing out the Tum Tum thing. That was a terribly ignorant error on my part.
RIP Camu.
May 27th, 2008 at 10:21 pm
Defjux Family, Friends, and Fans,
Please forward on this information out about Camu’s Home Going Service. The services will be at Diehl-whittaker funeral Home. 720 E Long St, Columbus, Oh 43203.
June 2, 2008 @ 2:00pm eastern standard time.
http://www.diehl-whittaker.com
From the Smith family:
The family would like to thank everyone for all their prayers, support and thoughts during this moment of Bereavement. We appreciate the loving words many of you have expressed toward Tero (Camu Tao) Smith and it doesn’t go without being noticed.
We pray that through this life changing moment everyone will see how urgent it is to get early preventative check-ups. We know that only if this rare lung cancer disease which Tero (Camu tao) Smith was hit with might have been detected just a little early he might be alive today.
The Smith family would like to say that this lung cancer was rare and not caused by lifestyle. We ask that you honor His life by not taken for granted that tomorrow is promised, yesterday is behind us and all we have is the present-day.
We can never thank you enough for the Generosity that many fans, friends and loved ones will show to Tero (Camu Tao) Smith that died so young but, fought a good fight until the finish line.
DONATIONS: Send to the attention Tero A. Smith or Camu. National City Bank- phone number 1-800-925-9259. Money orders or cashier’s check are preferred. If there is not a local branch near you the donation can be sent to any Nation City Bank location.
Floral Arrangements: please submit all questions to http://www.Directors@Diehl-Whittaker.com or phone number (614)258-9549. (Address above)
God bless you all,
Love Tero Smith’s Representative
May 28th, 2008 at 6:29 am
R.I.P. Camu Tao
a real loss for the community
May 28th, 2008 at 3:15 pm
Camu Tao was such an ill producer as well. Camu and PRZM were super. RIP to those Columbus giants.
May 29th, 2008 at 12:27 am
Never heard of the guy, but someone passing so young is always a tradgedy. Blessings to his family. :(
May 29th, 2008 at 1:25 pm
To whom it may concern,
The service for Tero (Camu Tao) Smith is restricted to only family and close friends. We appreciate the out pour of kind words, thoughts and concerns you have submitted. Unfortunately, it has been requested that only those who have been invited or known by the family as friends come. We know that Tero has touched the lives of many individuals and we are grateful for that. We just want to thank for honoring our wishes. Thanks.
From the Smith family:
The family would like to thank everyone for all their prayers, support and thoughts during this moment of Bereavement. We appreciate the loving words many of you have expressed toward Tero (Camu Tao) Smith and it doesn’t go without being noticed.
We pray that through this life changing moment everyone will see how urgent it is to get early preventative check-ups. We know that only if this rare lung cancer disease which Tero (Camu tao) Smith was hit with might have been detected just a little early he might be alive today.
The Smith family would like to say that this lung cancer was rare and not caused by lifestyle. We ask that you honor His life by not taken for granted that tomorrow is promised, yesterday is behind us and all we have is the present-day.
We can never thank you enough for the Generosity that many fans, friends and loved ones will show to Tero (Camu Tao) Smith that died so young but, fought a good fight until the finish line.
DONATIONS: Send to the attention Tero A. Smith or Camu. National City Bank- phone number 1-800-925-9259. Money orders or cashier’s check are preferred. If there is not a local branch near you the donation can be sent to any Nation City Bank location.
Floral Arrangements: please submit all questions to http://www.Directors@Diehl-Whittaker.com or phone number (614)258-9549. (Address above)
God bless you all,
Love Tero Smith’s Representative
May 29th, 2008 at 2:13 pm
My main memory of Camu Tao was seeing his pants slide off while he was beating the shit out of Copywrite.
May 29th, 2008 at 5:39 pm
I heard Hold the Floor maybe once or twice about 5 years back and the hook stuck in my head ever since. there are few songs that can grab my attention like that in such a small amount of time. . . that certainly says something of his talent. RIP my dude.
May 29th, 2008 at 7:12 pm
Camu was original, talented, and ahead of his time. No one rhymes the way he did. From the 1st Mhz single…”World Premier”…he showed how real cat’s rock…then “Magnetics” was on some otherness….all his work will be listened to for a long time, and will influence generatios to come. It is unfortunate that he had to pass so young.
R>I>P…….Though he will live forevermore!!!!
June 2nd, 2008 at 2:24 pm
R.I.P. to one of the originators of the Columbus Hip Hop scene! Camu Tao was one of the dopest artists to come from the city and played a huge part in putting Columbus on the Hip Hop map. I was lucky enough to meet him back in the early/mid 90’s as my group Mentally Unrested got real cool with his crew, Opium Prodigy. We used to rock at the Groove Shack Record Store on High Street at open mic nights; even back then Camu was I-L-L!!! Plus he was handling beats for Copywrite, Jakki, and all the rest. Truly a one of a kind talent and person.
God Bless
July 2nd, 2008 at 6:19 am
smash brothers has worn my car stereo speakers out since i got it.. this is a big loss.
R.I.P Camu Tao
from the cold north
mike/norway