Bigga Rankin, Jacksonville DJ Who Helped Launch Rick Ross, Gucci Mane, And T.I., Has Died At 50

Billy "Bigga Rankin" Plummer, the Jacksonville, Florida DJ and tastemaker widely regarded as a godfather of Southern hip-hop, died Monday morning July 20 at the age of 50. His family confirmed the death on his Instagram account.

No cause of death was disclosed. "It is with great sadness that we announce that the patriarch of our family, Billy 'Bigga Rankin' Plummer, passed away earlier this morning on July 20, 2026. We know how much he meant to his wife, his children, and the entire city of Jacksonville. As we grieve the loss of a legend, we ask that our privacy is respected."

Bigga Rankin built his career over more than 30 years as one of the South's most trusted music connectors, hosting mixtape series including Strictly 4 Traps N Trunks and Real N***a Radio, helping break artists like Rick Ross, Gucci Mane, T.I., Jeezy, Plies and B.o.B before they became household names.

He served as an A&R at Think It's A Game Records and as vice president of the Hittmenn DJs. He also produced Jacksonville's local Diamond Awards and ran annual back-to-school community drives through the K.I.N.G. Foundation.

Think It's A Game Records called him "a champion for hip hop" who "believed in artists before the world did, opened doors for countless careers, and poured into so many people that it's impossible to name them all."

His close associate Wendy Day called him "my husband in the industry." He once said of his own approach: "My mama always told me to give without expecting nothing back."