Hip-Hop DJ Lord Sear Dies at 53

Lord Sear, the veteran hip-hop DJ and longtime host on Eminem's Shade 45 SiriusXM channel, died on March 11 at age 53, the station announced on social media. No cause of death was disclosed.

Sear, whose real name was Steve Watson, had been a fixture on Shade 45 since its launch in 2004, co-hosting "The All Out Show" with Rude Jude before launching his own program, "The Lord Sear Special," which he hosted until his passing. Born and raised in New York, Sear built his career in the city's vibrant hip-hop scene. He first gained notice as the touring DJ for rapper Kurious in the early 1990s and later joined the influential "Stretch Armstrong and Bobbito Show" on Columbia University's WKCR station. As a co-host on the program, Sear helped spotlight emerging talents such as Jay-Z, Nas, and the Wu-Tang Clan, contributing beatboxing, guest coordination, and on-air energy that shaped underground rap culture.

Sear's path intersected with Eminem early on. He first connected with the rapper through the WKCR show in the late 1990s, when Eminem's manager Paul Rosenberg brought a demo to the hosts' record store. Their professional relationship deepened when Sear joined Eminem's Anger...