The hip-hop community is mourning the loss of a familiar voice as longtime radio personality and DJ Lord Sear has died at 53.
Lord Sear, known for his deep connection to hip-hop culture and his work alongside Eminem on Shade 45, passed away this week. The influential DJ spent decades on air and behind the scenes, helping shape the sound and conversation of rap radio. A cause of death has not been released.
Eminem publicly honored his friend in a heartfelt social media post on Wednesday.
“Sear was one of the greatest people to be around. I will never forget how he made me laugh on our tour together. Our time on shade45 together was always some of my favorite interviews. He made the world a better place, and I’m gonna seriously miss that. Rest in peace Lil Trey aka LordSear,” he wrote on Instagram.
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Sear had been part of Shade 45 since the station launched in 2004. He also traveled with Eminem during the early 2000s on the “Anger Management Tour,” where the two built a lasting friendship. Reflecting on those memories, Eminem shared that Sear always kept the energy high on the road and called him “one of the greatest people to be around.”
Born and raised in New York City, Lord Sear became one of the most recognizable voices in hip-hop radio. His early breakthrough came while touring with rapper Kurious before landing a role on the legendary “Stretch Armstrong and Bobbito Show” on WKCR. The influential program helped introduce artists like Jay-Z, Nas, and Wu-Tang Clan to wider audiences.
Sear also appeared on music projects with artists including the Beastie Boys, Big Pun, MF DOOM, The X-Ecutioners, and Statik Selektah.
Beyond music, his voice reached gaming audiences through appearances in “Grand Theft Auto III” and “Grand Theft Auto IV.”
In recent years, Sear co-hosted “The All Out Show with Rude Jude” on Shade 45 and also led his own SiriusXM program, “The Lord Sear Special,” where he remained on air until his passing.
