Why did eyedea die

Arts and Culture. Tom Murphy January 21, AM. Join the Westword community and help support independent local journalism in Denver. Get the latest updates in news, food, music and culture, and receive special offers direct to your inbox.

Support Us Denver's independent source of local news and culture. Michael "Eyedea" Larson middle, white shirt with some of the Rhymesayers crew.

Image Courtesy Brandon Crowson. While the exact circumstances of his death aren't clear, it was declared an accident by the Ramsey County, Minnesota, medical examiner's office. Larsen — whether as a b-boy, a rapper, a musician or a producer — never failed to impress his peers, not only with his sheer skill and ambition, but also his insightful and compassionate philosophical outlook. Larsen worked with a wide range of the most well-known alternative hip-hop artists from the mids until his death.

With unprecedented access to VHS tapes of live shows and Larsen's notebooks, Crowson, who became friends with Larsen's mother, Kathy Averill, a few years after Larsen's passing, pieced together an intimate portrait of the artist and his development from childhood until his death. With archival footage, photographs and interviews with Averill and Larsen's friends from early in life to adulthood, Crowson sensitively established a narrative about a significant artist taken from the world too soon.

The documentary is expected to have a commercial release in the spring through iTunes, Amazon and on DVD. Then, earlier this month, his Rhymesayers label throw a benefit concert in his honor.

Eyedea grew up in St. Paul, and began touring in Over the years, the duo dropped four more albums. But, he first gained attention as a battle rapper. The Minneapolis City Pages reported that the show was full of emotional tributes, including a touching one from Alexei and Channy Moon Casselle of the group Roma di Luna. They performed a duet of Bob Dylan's "He Was a Friend of Mine," and before leaving the stage, Alexei "cleared his throat and spoke into the microphone, fighting back tears.

At one point, he sat down on the couch, picked up a guitar, and started playing this song,' " Alexei said.