Robbie Pardlo, the lead vocalist of the Grammy-nominated R&B group City High, has died at the age of 46. He passed away on Thursday, July 17, in Willingboro, New Jersey, surrounded by close friends and family.
Best known as one-third of the chart-topping trio alongside Claudette Ortiz and Ryan Toby, Robbie leaves behind a respected musical legacy that helped shape early 2000s R&B.
What Is Robbie Pardlo’s Cause of Death? His Funeral Service
As of now, no official cause of death has been confirmed for Pardlo.
His family is currently making funeral arrangements and plans to announce details of the memorial service and tribute events in the coming days.
City High and His Career
Pardlo began his music career as a solo artist before City High officially came together. He was soon joined by his high school friend Ryan Toby, and later by Claudette Ortiz, forming the R&B/hip hop trio.
The group was active from 1999 to 2003. Their breakout single What Would You Do? was originally featured on the 1999 soundtrack for the film Life, starring Eddie Murphy and Martin Lawrence.
The track was later released as the lead single from their self-titled debut album in March 2001, produced by Wyclef Jean.
What Would You Do? became a chart success, peaking at number eight on the Billboard Hot 100 and number three in the UK. The song addressed poverty and single motherhood, striking a chord with a wide audience and becoming an MTV staple.
It also earned the group a nomination for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal at the 44th Annual Grammy Awards in 2002.
Their follow-up single, Caramel, featuring rapper Eve, also performed well, reaching the top 20 on the Billboard 200.
Following the breakup, Robbie joined the R&B group First Take and collaborated with major names in the industry, including Whitney Houston and Lil’ Kim.
In later years, the artist battled depression and alcoholism. His struggles were documented in a 2010 episode of the A&E series Intervention.
He Dated Claudette Ortiz Throughout High School
Before City High was formed, Pardlo was in a relationship with Claudette during their high school years.
Things shifted later when Ortiz started a relationship with Ryan Toby, Robbie’s friend and fellow bandmate. The two got married in 2004 and divorced in 2007. They have two sons together.
Who Is Robbie Pardlo’s Wife? Their Kids
At the time of his passing, Robbie was married to his longtime partner, Anika Pardlo, aka Anika Wallace.
Anika is also from Willingboro, New Jersey, and was once part of the state’s Cheer and Dance Championship team. She currently works as a Capability Development Manager at TD.
Though details about their marriage are largely private, Anika has shared a few photos with Robbie on her social media.
The couple had two children together: Lyric and Chord-Andrew Pardlo.
More On His Family
Robbie Pardlo was born to Marion Pardlo and Gregory Pardlo Sr., a former air traffic controller who was part of the 1981 air traffic controllers’ strike.
He had an older brother, Gregory Pardlo, an acclaimed poet and professor. Gregory won the 2015 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry for his book Digest, and his work has been featured in publications such as The American Poetry Review, Callaloo, Poet Lore, and the Harvard Review as well.
