Fugees employee John Forté has died at the age of 50

Johannes Fortfamed for his work with The Fugees, is dead… TMZ has confirmed.

The Grammy-nominated artist died Monday at his home in Chilmark, Massachusetts — a town on Martha’s Vineyard — according to Chilmark’s police chief. Sean Slavin.

We’re told John died suddenly and the cause of death is unclear… although police do NOT suspect foul play.

John is best known for his contributions to The Fugees’ second studio album, ‘The Score’, which was released in February 1996 and won a Grammy for Best Rap Album. John is featured on two songs, “Family Business” and “Cowboys”, and he wrote and produced several songs on the breakthrough album.

Lauryn Hill John famously introduced The Fugees… he showed Wyclef Jean And Pras some of the music he made and they were so impressed that they asked him to present ‘Cowboys’.

John also had a few features on Wyclef’s debut solo album, “Wyclef Jean Presents The Carnival,” in June 1997…with the song “We Trying to Stay Alive” and appeared on “Street Jeopardy.”

Wyclef produced John’s debut album, 1998’s ‘Poly Sci’, but John’s career was derailed in 2000 when he was arrested at Newark International Airport in connection with a criminal conspiracy to sell liquid cocaine.

John was charged with possession with intent to distribute cocaine and conspiracy to distribute it…he was sentenced to the mandatory minimum of 14 years, and spent seven years in a Pennsylvania prison before his sentence was commuted by then-President in November 2008 George W Bush.

When he got out of prison, John went to New York City and returned to music…writing the song “Something to Lean On,” a theme for the Brooklyn Nets that played before every game during extended player introductions in their first season in 2012-2013.

Jan met his wife, Lara Fulleron Martha’s Vineyard in 2015…they married and had two children together, daughter Wren and son Hello.

He was 50.