The music industry had lost another one of its talented artists. Rapper Prodigy was confirmed dead Tuesday at age 42. Fans and celebrities used social media as a platform to express their condolences, and Cleveland Cavaliers star LeBron James took to Instagram in a personal tribute to the late emcee.

Prodigy's publicist told the Associated Press Tuesday that the rapper was hospitalized earlier in Las Vegas "for complications caused by a sickle cell anemia crisis." The Mobb Deep rapper who was born Albert Johnson in Queens, New York, had struggled with sickle cell since birth, though it is unconfirmed what caused his demise.

"It is with extreme sadness and disbelief that we confirm the death of our dear friend Albert Johnson, better known to millions of fans as Prodigy of legendary NY rap duo Mobb Deep," the statement read. "We would like to thank everyone for respecting the family's privacy at this time."

READ: Prodigy Dead At 42: Rap Industry Gives Tribute To Mobb Deep Rapper On Twitter

The NBA star forward took to social media Wednesday to share his sentiment on the late rapper’s death. James posted Instagram stories of himself paying homage to the Mobb Deep Emcee. The videos showed him playing some of the rappers’ music while nodding his head out of admiration.

His video caption read, "Man I grew up on these boys! Help me get through tough days as a kid." The star was playing music while getting his hair cut.

In another video story, James wrote the caption "Mobb Deep vibe all night long!! #RIPProdigy,” while nodding his head to “Hell on Earth (Front Lines).”

Hip Hop and basketball have long been intertwined. The connection may have started in the 1980’s. Artists like Kurtis Blow confessed their love for basketball over a sultry track, which he released in 1984 titled "Baskteball." The song praised the sport and referenced players like Magic Johnson and Willis Reed.

"And number 33, my man Kareem is the center on my starting team," Blow rapped, "Tell me if you were in the joint, the night Wilt scored 100 points."

READ: Latest NBA Rumors: LeBron James Could Be Heading To Los Angeles-Based Team

In a Billboard interview last May, retired NBA player Jalen Rose — who played for the Indiana Pacers and New York Knicks — gave his take on the relationship between hip-hop music and basketball.

"It's collaborative. The thing’s that unique about the people that work on NBA Countdown — Amina Hussein, our coordinating producer, a gentleman named Ty Frison — is that we are all in our 40s, and we happen to be black," he said. "We obviously grew up appreciating ‘80s and ‘90s music, and more importantly, understanding the demos of NBA basketball in a league that’s 80 percent black. It’s the flavor that comes from having Mobb Deep on the opener for the NBA Finals with "Survival of the Fittest," or DJ Premier and Royce Da 5’9’."

He added, "When you see Draymond Green in the warm-ups, it's no accident D-Nice's "They Call Me D-Nice" is playing. We work together to create the same thing that happens when you go to a movie — so that the soundtrack used reflects what you see on the screen."

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Prodigy and Havoc (Mobb Deep) during DMX, Mobb Deep, Olivia and Rick Ross Visit MTV's 'Sucker Free Week' at MTV Studios in Times Square in New York, New York, on April 6, 2006. Getty Images
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