No matter what (if you were a one-hit wonder, or made consistent hits that kept people from wandering), Twitter levels the playing field on your memory (if for nothing but a day-regardless if during ones defunct time in life they seemed to have been forgotten about).
Notorious for his Grammy nominated 1988 hit “Just Got Paid (It’s Friday Night)” singer Johnny Kemp’s name appeared all over Twitter, and trending all over social media as, sadly and to much of everyone’s surprise-he mysteriously died Friday at the age of 55.
The singer may have been defunct from chart-topping success but according to his Twitter page, he was still making his rounds ‘round the music scene, doing shows and singing his hit song.
As some reports stated, the Bahamas-born singer died while on cruise hosted by radio personality Tom Joyner, who in turn, confirmed that Kemp was not actually on board when he passed. Along with producing phenom and Guy group member Teddy Riley, he was however, slated to perform for the cruise guests.
Reach Media gave a statement:
“We have received confirmation that Johnny Kemp has passed away. We do not have any other details. We can confirm he was not on the ship for the Tom Joyner Foundation Fantastic Voyage Cruise.”
That statement was given because it was initially reported (by Bahamas Weekly) that Kemp died on Thursday after 
falling and hitting his head while aboard the cruise ship but since then, that report was retracted after it was reported that Kemp’s personal assistant of the past three years (Christopher Powell) stated:
“He couldn’t board the [Tom Joyner] cruise because he didn’t have a permanent residency card or something. Kemp is Bahamian. Whatever it was, he didn’t have the right paperwork. They wouldn’t let him board.”
Powell reported that he received the call from Kemp’s wife Deidre on Thursday saying Johnny had died as told to her by the Montego Bay police who told The Associated Press that the singer was found “floating on the beach.”
Police identified Kemp because he had his Bahamian passport on him at the time he was found.
According to the assistant:
- Kemp caught a flight from New York’s Kennedy airport to Jamaica Wednesday morning.
- According to the cruise ship’s itinerary, the cruise ship was set to sail late Wednesday night
- Kemp returns to hotel in Montego Bay Wednesday night
- Hotel calls Kemps wife and informed her he was dead
Kemp’s wife was already concerned when he was not responding to her calls or emails.
Johnny Kemp was scheduled to arrive back in New York on Friday and too, was penciled in to perform at this summer’s Summer Stage concert in Brooklyn, New York.
Kemp’s A&R rep at Columbia Records from late 80s and early 90s (Kevin Woodley) gave a statement:
“He was an incredible singer and a personal friend,”
Woodley said.
“I’m deeply saddened by this loss.”
Johnny Kemp is survived by his wife Deidre Kemp and their two sons Jared and Jason.
She posted to her Facebook account Friday afternoon:
“Lord, hold onto me as I go forward with faith in You.”
