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Update: DJ Rashad Died From Drug Overdose

Footwork legend's death ruled accidental. Heroine, cocaine and Xanax found in his system.

BET.com's article about DJ Rashad Harden's autopsy report (August 8, 2014) inadvertently included a photo identifying DJ Rashad Hayes as the deceased, DJ Rashad Harden. Rashad Hayes is alive. We regret our error and apologize to DJ Rashad Hayes.

Chicago house music icon DJ Rashad's death in April was the result of a drug overdose, reports NBC Chicago. According to a toxicology report, heroine, cocaine and alprazolam (Xanax) were found in his system. 

Rashad's death has been ruled an accident, a spokesperson for the Cook County Medical Examiner's office said.  

The producer and Footwork legend was born Rashad Harden in Indiana. He was found unresponsive in a Chicago apartment by a friend. Less than a month later, his record label, Hyperdub, attributed the death to a blood clot. Rashad had a prescription for Xanax, his father revealed. Leading up to his death, the 34-year-old complained about pain in his leg. 

Rashad had been busy touring around the globe earlier in the year. "I feel good," he told Spin not long before his passing. "The feeling is good. The music is good. The people, the fans have been great. It's such a good feeling, man: Even though it's hard work, at the end you receive a great gift. To just meet people, I dunno — just a good feeling. Blessed is the word. I just came back from Tokyo for the first time and they have a big footwork scene and it was just amazing. Cool to see people do what we do and take it to the next level."

His final album, Double Cup, was released last October.   


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(Photo: Courtesy Backspin Promotions)

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