From Rolling Stone -
LaShawn Daniels, a Grammy Award-winning songwriter, died Tuesday as a result of injuries from a car accident at the age of 41, according to CNN. His writing credits spanned decades and genres, and included hits like Whitney Houston’s “It’s Not Right but It’s OK,” Michael Jackson’s “You Rock My World,” Destiny’s Child “Say My Name,” and Lady Gaga’s “Telephone.” Daniels’ wife, April Daniels, posted a statement to Instagram announcing the death of her husband.
“It is with deep sorrow and profound sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved husband, father, family member and friend, LaShawn Daniels who was the victim of a fatal car accident in South Carolina,” writes wife April Daniels. “A Grammy Award-winning producer and songwriter, Daniels was a man of extraordinary faith and a pillar in our family.”
Daniels, better know as “Big Shiz,” was instrumental in creating the sound of late Nineties and early 2000s R&B and pop. In a 2018 interview with Rolling Out, Daniels described his working relationship with Whitney Houston. “We would talk about relationships and she loved talking about real situations,” he said. “She didn’t want to sing about anything that was fake, Whitney always wanted to keep it real. I think that’s another thing that made her special and people relate to her. It would start from a conversation and we’d go from there.”
Musicians from across the music industry, including Kehlani, Dawn Richard, Ari Lennox, Ryan Hemsworth, and James Fauntleroy paid their respects across social media on Tuesday. “The entire music community is feeling the loss of one of the greatest to ever do it,” Kirk Franklin tweeted. “LaShawn Daniels we just stood together a week ago. No words.”