| By Curt and Jamila Hayman (Chief Editors),
on Saturday May, 24 2008 10:09:43 pm MST
|
"Y'all good? Brooklyn in the house? I'm glad. I love people from Brooklyn. I'm from Brooklyn," says comedian Rasheed Thurmond to a cheering audience as he strolls onto the stage.
The YouTube video flashes on Thurmond's MySpace page among smiling baby pictures. Only the countless profile posts that read "R.I.P." let on that something is wrong.
The up-and-coming Brooklyn born-and-bred comedian collapsed and died at his Queens home on Nov. 27, leaving behind three young daughters, a large family and an unfinished career.
In his 10 years in the comedy business, Thurmond managed to build an impressive résumé, scoring a coveted spot on P. Diddy's "Bad Boys Of Comedy" and a recurring role on MTV's "Uptown Comedy Club."
"This was going to catapult him to the top," said his grieving cousin Dion Seaberry.
Born in East New York, Thurmond and his four siblings were raised in a Vermont Ave. house by his stern father, who worked as a train conductor, and his mother, who worked as a token clerk.
"He started comedy at the age of 5," recalled his mother, Elizabeth Thurmond, 61. "My friend was afraid of mousetraps, and when he found out, he would always put one in her pocket.
"We don't know what happened. We're waiting for the autopsy," she said, adding there is family history of heart and kidney failure.
After graduating from Chelsea High School in Manhattan, Thurmond worked a number of odd jobs - from driving an ambulance to working for J.Crew.
"He could have been close to Chris Rock, because he was definitely an aspiring comedian out of Brooklyn," said his pal and fellow comedian A.G. White.
"Nobody makes it out of East New York, comedywise. Rasheed had a gift, where his characters were so precise, that you were really in tune with what he was saying."
Still, he didn't let the success get to his head, said his mother.
"He was always gonna be the boy from Brooklyn," she said. "He was always proud of Brooklyn - he always carried that pride of his neighborhood.
"He was proud of where he came from."
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A Tribute to Rasheed ThurmondSaturday, 24 May 2008
"Y'all good? Brooklyn in the house? I'm glad. I love people from Brooklyn. I'm from Brooklyn," says comedian Rasheed Thurmond to a cheering...
Last update: Sunday May, 25 2008 2:02:44 pm MST
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