I'm hearing reports that Johnny Kemp died on the Tom Joyner cruise.

Apparently he slipped and hit his head while in the bathroom.

R.I.P.

Damn..that is sad. Tommorow is not promised. RIP.

wooowwww, prayers go out to his family

Sad RIP. Recent pic promoting that gig...

Johnny Kemp Reported Dead At 55; What Happened To 'Just Got Paid' Singer?

Photo: Twitter/Johnny Kemp

Fans of "Just Got Paid" are mourning the reported death of singer Johnny Kemp. Initial stories said Kemp died when he fell and hit his head on Tom Joyner's cruise this week. But there are now conflicting rumors about exactly what happened.

Johnny Kemp has reportedly died at age 55. So what happened to the singer behind the 1980s hit “Just Got Paid”?

The Bahamas Weekly first reported that Johnny Kemp died this week. And hip hop producer Salaam Remi seemingly confirmed the news of Kemp's death on Instagram.

"#RestInPower to Johnny Kemp...I was raised by a community of NY musicians and you were common visitor," Remi wrote on Friday. "With bright smile and laugh and partner in song and wisdom. You'll be missed. prayers to your family and our extended families."

Salaam Remi posted this Instagram photo in memory of Johnny Kemp.

However, it's still unclear exactly what happened to Johnny Kemp. Initial reports said he died when he fell and hit his head in the bathroom while on the Tom Joyner cruise. But Reach Media, Joyner's company, has since denied that this is the case. Reps for Reach say that Joyner was scheduled to join the cruise but never made it.

"We have received confirmation that Johnny Kemp has passed away," Reach said in a statement. "We do not have any other details. We can confirm he was not on the ship for the Tom Joyner Foundation Fantastic Voyage Cruise."

Others are speculating that he actually died from falling on beach rocks in Jamaica, where he was set to board the cruise. But this has not been confirmed.

Johnny Kemp first got singing experience playing local Bahamas clubs as a teenager. He then moved to New York City and became part of the band Kinky Fox. Kemp released his first solo album in 1986, but he truly rose to fame with his second record, Secrets of Flying. That album produced two of his biggest hits, “Dancin' with Myself" and "Just Got Paid.” The track was later covered by N’ Sync on their album No Strings Attached.

Watch the music video for "Just Got Paid" below.

In more recent years, Johnny Kemp was known for appearing on Keith Sweat's Sweat Hotel Live album. The concert album featured a new version of "Just Got Paid" with Kemp, Sweat, Teddy Riley, Charlie Wilson, Silk, Kut Klose And Jackie McGhee.

After his death, Johnny Kemp is survived by a wife, Deidre, and two sons.

His biggest hit!!!!! PERIOD!!!

His biggest hit!!!!! PERIOD!!!

JabarR74 said:

Wow, that is really sad. "Just Got Paid" is a fantastic jam and I was always hoping he'd have at least another hit. Now this news.

And... 'I just got paid...' but it's a sad Friday night. R.I.P.

Details on his death are sketchy, however. The Bahamas Weekly reported earlier today that Kemp succumbed to injuries after a fall while onboard a Tom Joyner Foundation Fantastic Voyage Cruise he was scheduled to perform on. The publication has since retracted the claim after The Root obtained a statement from Reach Media, the company who handles the events.

“We have received confirmation that Johnny Kemp has passed away. We do not have any other details. We can confirm he was not on the ship for the Tom Joyner Foundation Fantastic Voyage Cruise,” Reach Media stated.

Johnny Kemp is survived by his wife and two sons and the rest of the world will remember him for creating one of the best weekend jams ever created.

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- See more at: http://hiphopwired.com/20...WjdKX.dpuf

This is so fucked up! I just found out about this as I was riding home from work on the first payday Friday of 2015 in the D, that the temperature has topped 70 degrees and we were able to ride around with all the windows rolled down and the music blasting. So when I heard "Just Got Paid" I was like "Hell Yes!"

Then the DJ said "RIP Johnny Kemp!" And my mood went from joyous to straight, "Aww...

shorttrini said:

Every time I hear this, I can't believe that, Keith Sweat wrote it...

Why are Johnny Kemp and Gene Griffin, Guy's former manager, the credited songwriters? Maybe Keith got cheated?

ngJK-kwN04atrinaHaterwitz said:

Why did this guy disappear after releasing a hit album? He must have hated Columbia records w/ a passion because everything just stops right there except for a few soundtrack selections.

I was watching a interview last night from 2007 & Kemp really didn't want to talk about music. Sounds like Columbia was trying to strongarm him. Usually an artist wouldn't leave their deal after a hit album like that.

He never worked w/ Teddy Riley again,

Why did this guy bail from Columbia?

I thought he died on a beach?

Wonder if they will bury him in that jacket.

80s R&B flashback: "Just Another Lover" by Johnny Kemp (1986)

Identity said:

HatrinaHaterwitz said:

Identity said:

shorttrini said:

Every time I hear this, I can't believe that, Keith Sweat wrote it...

Why are Johnny Kemp and Gene Griffin, Guy's former manager, the credited songwriters? Maybe Keith got cheated?

Keith Sweat DIDN'T write "Just Got Paid" Teddy Riley wrote & produced it! Keith was offered the instrumental track but, decided to turn it down. Kemp completed the song with his added lyrics and vocals & the rest is history.

I've followed Keith & Teddy's careers closely with the New Jack sound.

Don't believe what these knuckleheads on here say.R.I.P. Johnny Kemp I've done many nights partying to your classic hit. Your voice was PHENOMENAL on it!

WOW. You wonder why Kemp was a one hit / one album wonder; Lord knows he had some talent to have a longer career. This is so sad....

RIP Kemp.

HatrinaHaterwitz said:

This is so fucked up! I just found out about this as I was riding home from work on the first payday Friday of 2015 in the D, that the temperature has topped 70 degrees and we were able to ride around with all the windows rolled down and the music blasting. So when I heard "Just Got Paid" I was like "Hell Yes!"

Then the DJ said "RIP Johnny Kemp!" And my mood went from joyous to straight, "Aww...

You see I was trying to be serious about the sad news until I saw this.

LMAO. By the way my favorite song was Just Another Lover. I was still playing that song.

[Edited 4/25/15 20:33pm]

[Edited 5/3/15 16:45pm]

RIP

Just found out about this yesterday.... So sad. That song will never ever die though, can still jam to it till this very day.

missfee said:

Just found out about this yesterday.... So sad. That song will never ever die though, can still jam to it till this very day.

That's one of them family reunion Soul Train Line tunes...

Didn't I read that the lead for "Just Got Paid" was a scratch vocal? That would explain why it's
always been a bit off-kilter for me.

duccichucka said:

RIP! I loved his debut! This dude had the biggest head I've ever seen too, incidentally.

dancerella said:

duccichucka said:

Didn't I read that the lead for "Just Got Paid" was a scratch vocal? That would explain why it's
always been a bit off-kilter for me.

Just curious, what do you mean off kilter? How so?

It always sounded like he was too insouciant with it; like he wasn't being too serious but
was too playful with it. It's kinda zany but just a little bit.

duccichucka said:

dancerella said:

duccichucka said: Just curious, what do you mean off kilter? How so?

It always sounded like he was too insouciant with it; like he wasn't being too serious but
was too playful with it. It's kinda zany but just a little bit.

I never thought about it, but yeah, the vocal delivery is kinda enegetic, but that's one of the reasons why I love it though. I love the breadown where he shouts "I JUST GOT PAID!" just before Teddy's synths bodyslam you for a few seconds LOL.

I remember, long before looking up discogs and whatnot, being very dissapointed by the rest of the cassettte "Just got Paid" came off, as none of the other tracks had Teddy Riley or Gene Griffin's input on them LOL.

I did like his OST "Ninja Turtles" song though LOL. I guess that was culled from an album he was making around 1990 that never got finished or released as no followup album happened unfortunately.

RIP.

[Edited 4/22/15 19:39pm]