Long-time New Jersey resident actor and rapper Nashawn Breedlove, 46, died Sunday in his sleep, according to TMZ, and the cause of death is unknown. His mother Patricia announced and confirmed his death in a heartfelt Facebook post. Breedlove is best known for his role in the 2002 “8 Mile,” a movie loosely based on the life of rapper Eminem.
In the movie Eminem stars as Jimmy, or B-Rabbit, a white rapper from Detroit trying to make it in the Black world of hip-hop. His opponent in the rap battles, Breedlove plays the character “Lotto,” a member of the rap group The Free World and a mainstay who is immersed in Detroit’s hip-hop culture. The battles take place at a venue known as The Shelter.