Robbie Pardlo, the former lead vocalist of the R&B group City High, has passed away at the age of 46.
Videos by Suggest
Pardlo died on Thursday, in Willingboro, New Jersey., surrounded by his loved ones, according to a report by TMZ. As of now, the official cause of death has not been disclosed.
A spokesperson for the late singer told TMZ that information about the upcoming memorial service will be shared with the public shortly.
Pardlo rose to fame in 1999 as a member of City High, a group he formed alongside classmates Claudette Ortiz and Ryan Toby. The trio signed with Wyclef Jean’s label, Booga Basement, and went on to release their self-titled debut album. The album featured the 2001 hits “What Would You Do?” and “Caramel,” the latter including a collaboration with Eve.
The band quickly rose to prominence, earning a Grammy nomination for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group in 2002. Unfortunately, their time in the spotlight was brief, as they parted ways in 2003.
Before joining the band, Pardlo and Ortiz, 43, were high school sweethearts. Later, Ortiz dated fellow band member Toby, 48, and the two married in 2004, though their marriage ended in divorce in 2007.
Robbie Pardlo Battled Alcoholism and Appeared on “Intervention”
In January 2010, Pardlo appeared on A&E’s Intervention to discuss his battle with alcoholism. He revealed that his struggles with alcohol began after the group disbanded. During the episode, his family expressed deep concern for his well-being and the impact his addiction was having on his young daughter, Lyric, according to Billboard.
Pardlo said his alcoholism worsened after Ortiz ended their relationship and started dating Toby. However, during the 2013 R&B Divas: L.A. reunion, Ortiz denied that her marriage to Toby had any impact on Pardlo’s addiction.
According to TMZ, after City High disbanded, Pardlo joined the R&B band First Take. The group performed with stars like Whitney Houston and Lil Kim.
He is survived by his wife, Anika, and their two children.