Ice-T, Joe Budden, and KXNG Crooked were among those who paid tribute to Chino on social media.
Chino, whose legal name was Derek Keith Barbosa, died at his home on Sunday, July 28.
No cause of death was disclosed.
Chino XL.Ray Tamarra/Getty
Ray Tamarra/Getty
This one REALLY hurts, wroteLaw & Order: SVUstarIce-T.
Unfortunately it was true..
I rarely shed a tear… Ive lost so many homies but THIS one got me Fd up.
Chino XL.John E. Davidson/WireImage
People know he was an incredible MC.
But Chino was a truly GREAT MAN.
This is a tragedy.
KXNG Crooked expressed shock in his own post, writing that he recently spoke to Chino on the phone.
Our careers have been tied together since the Wake Up Show freestyles decades ago, read hisXpost.
Im f—ed up.
Rest in Peace my brother Chino XL.
Everybody rhymed, he previously toldBeatMagazineof his school days.
We ate, slept and breathed it.
He added, Some people breakdanced, some people did graffiti, hip hop was very much alive.
You didnt think about what you were doing, it was just there.
They released only two singles before splitting up, at which point Chino pursued a solo career.
His debut album,Here To Save You All, arrived in 1996 to critical acclaim.
He also appeared in the 2003 rom-comAlex & Emma.
