Chris ‘Mac Daddy’ Kelly and Chris ‘Daddy Mac’ Smith were just 13 when they were catapulted to superstardom as hip-hop duo Kriss Kross with their smash hit single Jump in 1992, before tragedy struck.

The childhood friends from Atlanta were discovered in a local mall by then 18-year-old music producer Jermaine Dupri, who was impressed by their unique style and despite them having no musical aspirations, signed them to his So So Def label.

The pair became known for their fashion sense and wearing both their trousers and baseball caps backwards but as they grew and tried to impress with new tough personas fans seemingly lost interest. 

Jump topped the BillBoard H๏τ 100 where it stayed for a whopping eight weeks, while their debut album Totally Crossed Out sold over 4M copies. While their music video for Jump sH๏τ to number one on MTV and sold over 100K copies as a VHS video.

As their popularity rose Kriss Kross landed a spot on Michael Jackson’s Dangerous world tour, as well as a cameo appearance in his popular Jam music video.

Kriss Kross also landed a partnership with Sprite they later released their own SEGA video game, which would go on to rank 18th on the ’20 Worst Games of All Time’.

Chris ‘Mac Daddy’ Kelly (L) and Chris ‘Daddy Mac’ Smith (R) were just 13 when they were catapulted to fame as hip-hop duo Kriss Kross back in 1992, before tragedy struck

The childhood friends from Atlanta were discovered in a local mall by then 18-year-old music producer Jermaine Dupri, who was impressed by their style (pictured 1992)

As their popularity rose Kriss Kross landed a spot on Michael Jackson’s Dangerous world tour, as well as a cameo appearance in his popular Jam music video (pictured) 

They also found themsleves embroiled in a beef with fellow rap groups Da Youngstas and Illegal who branded the pair ‘manufactured’ due to mentor Jermaine writing their entire debut album. 

In a 1993 interview with 4080 magazine, Illegal were asked if there was any truth to  rumours they had gotten into an altercation with Kriss Kross.  

They told the publication: ‘We was at Ed Lover’s birthday party. We performed that night. Nobody was paying them any attention and everybody was trying to meet us and s*** And they couldn’t stand that’. 

‘So they started gettin’ on the mic with that old dumb s**t. So we stepped to them and then Jermaine Dupri got smart, so Jamal snuffed him. Then we just rushed ’em and busted their a**.’ 

Despite their initial success, the pair struggled with their follow up album Da Bomb in 1993, which saw the pair project a tougher image.

Now having aged and singing with deeper voices, the majority of the songs were aimed at their rivals Da Youngstas and Illegal but it failed to go platinum. 

Three-years later they released Young, Rich & Dangerous which despite some positive reviews, would prove to be Kriss Kross’ last album. 

Again spearheaded by Dupri it spawned singles Tonite’s tha Night and Live and Die for Hip-Hop, the latter of which featured Aaliyah.

The pair became known for their fashion sense and wearing both their trousers and baseball caps backwards (pictured 1992)

Jump topped the BillBoard H๏τ 100 where it stayed for a whopping eight weeks, while their debut album Totally Crossed Out sold over 4M copies (pictured 1993)

As their popularity rose Kriss Kross landed a spot on Michael Jackson’s Dangerous world tour, as well as a cameo appearance in his popular Jam music video

They also found themsleves embroiled in a beef with fellow rap groups Da Youngstas and Illegal (pictured in 1993) who branded the pair ‘manufactured’ due to mentor Jermaine writing their entire debut album

Jermaine Dupri – who discovered the boys – pictured in 2019

The two Chris’ later parted ways and went on to pursue solo careers and would not perform on stage together again for nearly 20-years.

Chris ‘Daddy Mac’ Smith burst back into the music scene in 2006, now as Chris Smith, with two positive singles as he aimed to reverse the misogyny in the rap industry and instead honour women.

He went on to release a solo album тιтled Urbane Expressions as well as a book of poetry and short stories of the same name.

Meanwhile Chris ‘Mac Daddy’ Kelly started his own independent record label in Atlanta but hit the headlines after his first public appearance in years after displaying bald spots.

Later taking to YouTube he reᴀssured fans he was not unwell but explained he had been suffering from alopecia. 

Then in February 2013 Kriss Kross fans were delighted when the pair reunited to perform at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta, Georgia during the So So Def 20th Anniversary Concert.

A decade later Chris ‘Daddy Mac’ Smith burst back into the music scene, now as Chris Smith, with two positive singles as he aimed to reverse the misogyny in the rap industry 

Meanwhile Chris ‘Mac Daddy’ Kelly started his own independent record label in Atlanta but hit the headlines after his first public appearance in years after displaying bald spots – later reasurring fans he was not unwell but explained he had been suffering from alopecia.

Then in February 2013 Kriss Kross fans were delighted when the pair reunited to perform at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta, Georgia during the So So Def 20th Anniversary Concert

However tragedy struck just three-months later when Chris Kelly was found ᴅᴇᴀᴅ following a drug overdose

However tragedy struck just three-months later when Chris Kelly was found ᴅᴇᴀᴅ following a drug overdose. 

Read More Did Kris Kross star Chris Kelly die from speedballing? ‘Mother tells police how rapper took lethal heroin and cocaine cocktail night before death’

According to TMZ, who have seen an official report, Kelly’s mother Donna Kelly Pratte told police her son had taken a mixture of cocaine and heroin the night before so she’d taken him to her home while he recovered.

She added that he’d felt nauseous before pᴀssing out and that after finding him unresponsive she called 911 for medical ᴀssistance.

After they failed to resuscitate him, Chis was transferred to hospital where he was pronounced ᴅᴇᴀᴅ.

The report states that his mother and uncle both told investigators the rapper had an ‘extensive history of drug use’.

In the hours before he pᴀssed out, Chris did an interview with The Streetz Morning Grind radio show and sounded off colour.

He is said to have made a reference to his partying antics, which upset the DJ – a friend of his.

Speedballing is a ᴅᴇᴀᴅly combination that has claimed the lives of many people, and a flirtation with danger that celebrities seem inexorably drawn to.

John Belushi, River Phoenix, Red H๏τ Chili Peppers guitarist Hillel Slovak and Alice in Chains frontman Layne Staley all died from combining the two drugs.