Kevin "Squingy" Bennett, historic MC and selector of the sound system Bass Odyssey, died this Tuesday morning in Florida, at the age of 37.
Sound system and clash fans around the world knew he was ill: he had announced more than three years ago that he was suffering from cancer, an illness that has kept him away from the stage ever since.
While he was in hospital in Tampa, the sound system scene mobilised to try to raise funds on the initiative of Kirky-C (Poison Dart), Jazzy T. (Renaissance), Bobby Chin (Black Chiney), Father Tek (Tek 9 Movements), Unitec Promotions and the website dancehallreggae.com.
With his passing, sound systems from every corner of the globe are mourning an icon and a role model, who had given Bass Odyssey its prestige and had managed to raise his sound to the pantheon of the greats.
Generous on stage and incisive on the mic in clashes, Squingy had also developed close relationships with several artists such as Buju Banton, Bounty Killer and Vybz Kartel, whom he accompanied behind the turntables in his early days.