Rapper Young Noble, born Rufus Lee Cooper III on March 21, 1978, in Sierra Madre, California, died by suicide on July 4, 2025, in Atlanta, Georgia. He was 47.
He died from a gunshot wound that appears to have been self-inflicted.
Noble rose to fame in the 1990s as part of Tupac Shakur’s rap group, the Outlawz. He joined in early 1996, becoming the last member personally added by Tupac himself. That same year, he appeared on four tracks from The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory, including the iconic “Hail Mary.”
Outside of his work with the Outlawz, the late rapper built his solo catalog with albums like Noble Justice and Son of God.
Just months before his death, Noble made a tribute to his late bandmates with a nostalgic RIP photo on Instagram, filled with loss and gratitude:
“Woke up thinkin about all my amazing Family & Friends who are no longer with me in the physical but are now my Angels & Ancestors walking with me forever in my Heart & Spirit.”
He also spoke about turning 47 and being thankful for making it that far:
“Life is shorter than we think I turn 47 later this month by the good grace of God an im extremely grateful to have made it this far. Don’t take TODAY for granted good people.. Live, Love & Forgive.”
Reading those words now, they don’t align with how things ended.
He is survived by his only daughter and two half-siblings from his mother’s previous relationship. His mother passed away just one year before him. Her death deeply affected him, something that was clear through his online posts.
As for his father, he was never part of the picture. And while several condolence messages mentioned a wife, there has been no clear answer about whether the rapper was ever married.
There’s more to Young Noble than what made it to the music. Here’s what we know about the parts of his life that stayed mostly out of the spotlight.
Was He Ever Married?
At the time of his death, there was no confirmed record of Noble being married. He never publicly mentioned a wife, and no legal documentation or known relationship ever surfaced.
However, some tribute posts shared by close friends sparked confusion. Fellow rapper Layzie Bone, in his emotional message, wrote that he was praying for Noble’s “family, wife, and kids.” Whether that was based on personal knowledge or simply a general sentiment remains unclear.
Noble’s One and Only Daughter, Cece, Was the Center of His Life
He was a devoted father, and his love for his daughter Cece was something he never hid.
She was born in October 2007 and is now 17 years old.
On her 17th birthday in 2024, he wrote a caption on his Instagram that left no doubt about how much she meant to him:
“I Love you beyond words, im proud of you an I’m extremely honored & grateful to be your father.. Growing up isnt easy just know no matter how old you get you will always be my baby girl an I will be right there every step of the way.”
He Credited His Daughter for Saving His Life After a Heart Attack
In 2021, Noble suffered a serious heart attack that could have taken his life.
A year later, in November 2022, he opened up about the incident in a detailed Instagram post, saying it was his daughter who saved him.
“My daughter saved my life last year when I had a heart attack if she wasnt home I would be dead right now an that whole situation deeply affected her even more than I realized.”
The experience shook them both, and he never stopped acknowledging what she did for him.
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His Mother Died From Cancer in 2024, While He Barely Had Contact With His Elusive Father
Young Noble shared a strong bond with his mother, Ellene Jewel Furr—better known as Mama Outlaw. But when it came to his father, there was nothing. He rarely spoke about him, and it was clear the man was never around.
In the same Instagram post where he opened up about surviving a heart attack, Noble also revealed how much hardship his mother had faced.
“I think about how i watched my mom go through her whole life without a consistent male figure she didn’t have her mother or father she got put up for adobtion,” he wrote.
He shared that his momma’s first husband was killed by Newark police just one year after they married—she was only 21. She later had two children, Shawn and Keisha, from another relationship, and eventually had Noble with a man who never showed up in his life.
Seeing what his mother went through pushed Noble further to become the kind of father she never had—and the one he never did either.
“I broke that vicious cycle in my family my kids will never be able to say I wasn’t there everyday every single step of the way an im proud of that! Fatherhood is the best hood I’m extremely grateful for it.”
Ellene was born on August 20, 1945, and passed away from cancer on July 1, 2024.
Announcing her death, he wrote how deeply it affected him:
“She passed away last night from Cancer an im beyond heartbroken im also beyond grateful I was by your side for your final breath an you are now free from pain.”
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Young Noble’s Net Worth at His Death
At the time of his passing, Noble had an estimated net worth of $2 million.
Most of his income came from his music career through his work with the Outlawz, solo projects, collaborations, and royalties that continued over the years.
