Hip-hop has lost another figure with the death of Damien “E-Love” Matthias, who entered the hip-hop industry alongside childhood friend James Todd Smith, AKA LL Cool J. He was 58.
According to AllHipHop, E-Love died Jan. 17, but no cause of death has been revealed. He was a former hype man and producer for the Queens-bred emcee who helped hip-hop gain the commercial success it still has today. E-Love worked alongside LL as a co-producer on his seminal debut album, Radio. He was still active with LL years into his career when the Rock the Bells emcee started to rise in Hollywood.
Outside of his accomplishments in the industry, Public Enemy’s Chuck D stated that E-Love is the iconic figure seen in his group’s logo. In a social media post, a story of how the logo was created is shown. Chuck D, an avid artist, used a photo of E-Love as a backdrop. After making the changes based on the photo for the logo, he originally did this for a group named “Street Force.” But later used it for Public Enemy.
Rest in beats… E love @hiphopgods pic.twitter.com/JzlTZp5Egv
— Chuck D (@MrChuckD) January 18, 2026
RIP E LOVE,,, the man in the Iconic Public Enemy logo pic.twitter.com/IvrcEQ7aEm
— FLAVOR FLAV (@FlavorFlav) January 19, 2026
The work E-Love did with LL, including Bigger and Deffer, the follow-up to the debut album, earned him recognition from the industry, including nominations from several award shows, including the American Music Awards and the Grammy Awards, for the 1987 album that sold three million records.
Complex reported that, as a writer, producer, and director, his work has sold more than 35 million records. He was involved in grassroots marketing efforts that helped put Def Jam Recordings on the map during the label’s early years. His contributions to the culture also include helping open doors for artists like Tupac Shakur and John Forte.
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