The cause of death of former lawyer for incarcerated deejay Buju Banton is still unknown. Chokwe Lumumba, who helped Buju Banton appeal his drug-trafficking sentence back in 2012, advised the deejay to seek the advice of other legal counsel just before being appointed mayor of Jackson.

According to the New York Times, the official cause of death is still unknown, but says Lumumba had a cold a day before his death.

Lumumba died at St Dominic Hospital in Jackson, Mississippi on Tuesday afternoon. He was 66.

Olimatta Taal, one of his mentees, told The Weekend STAR that Lumumba's life and work was one of her greatest influences and he will be missed by numerous persons across the globe.

"I have known him since I was 13 years old, he was Buju's lawyer, he was Tupac's lawyer and he was always fighting for the rights of black people at any cost, as long as it was within his professional jurisdiction," she said.

not an excuse

She encouraged persons who respected Lumumba to carry on the rich legacy he left behind.

"There are a lot of people who are hurting right now because this was just so sudden, but him not being here physically is not an excuse for the work to stop.

"He set a blueprint for us to follow, so we should work towards understanding his legacy and continue in his footsteps," she said while offering condolences to Lumumba's family.

Lumumba served one term on the City Council. He was sworn in as mayor last July. As an attorney, Chokwe Lumumba represented the likes of rapper Tupac as well as members of the Black Panther Party.