BeatKing, also known as ClubGodzilla, died on Thursday, August 16, as confirmed by his manager. The cause of death remains unknown. He was 39.
In an Instagram post, BeatKing’s manager wrote, “Today, we lost @Clubgodzilla. BeatKing has been the king of the club for more than ten years. His sound will live on forever through the countless artists he worked with and the music he loved. He adored his daughters, @clubgodparenting, his music, and his fans. We will love him forever.”
Houston legend Bun B would pay respect to the late-recording artist and his family on Instagram. He wrote: “It’s always the good ones. Damn, this shit hurt. Just a great-spirited person. We lost a talented artist and father. Prayer for @talameshia and his loved ones. RIP @clubgodzilla”
Slim Thug, Maxo Kream, and Paul Wall were among other Houston legends to pay tribute after the news broke. “Sad day in the city,” captioned Slim Thug with a photo of BeatKing.
Known for his collaborations with Ludacris, 2 Chainz, and Juicy J, the artist, born Justin Riley, dominated the club music scene for over a decade. He created hits like “THICK” with DJ Chose and “Then Leave” featuring Queendom Come, tracks that have undoubtedly played at nightclubs nationwide. In July, he released his latest album, Never Leave Houston On A Sunday.
BeatKing received a flood of messages of condolences and tributes on social media. “Nah, man. I was hoping this was some type of mistake [4 broken heart emojis],” wrote one fan. Another expressed, “I’m sorry for your loss!! This just shocked the hell out of me. Everybody loved bro!”
BeatKing is survived by his two daughters.