Photo: Getty
He was found dead at his home.
By Emily Blackwood — Written on Mar 05, 2019
The vocalist with the Prodigy, Keith Flint, has died. The singer was found dead at his home in Essex on Monday. He was 49. In a statement released by Prodigy, the group confirmed the news and paid tribute to Flint.
“It is with deepest shock and sadness that we can confirm the death of our brother and best friend Keith Flint. A true pioneer, innovator and legend. He will be forever missed. We thank you for respecting the privacy of all concerned at this time.”
So how did Keith Flint die? Here's what we know about the Prodigy vocalist's death.
1. Police confirmed his death.
A spokesman for the Essex police department confirmed Flint's death on Monday.
"We were called to concerns for the welfare of a man at an address in Brook Hill, North End, just after 8.10am on Monday,” he said. “We attended and, sadly, a 49-year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene. His next of kin have been informed. The death is not being treated as suspicious and a file will be prepared for the coroner.”
2. His bandmate said he committed suicide.
The group was originally formed in 1990 by Liam Howlett, who took to Instagram to remember the musician and share his frustration with the sudden loss of his friend, who he said died of suicide.
“I can’t believe I’m saying this but our brother Keith took his own life over the weekend. I’m shell shocked, f--kin angry, confused and heart broken ..... r.i.p brother Liam."
Later that day, the band confirmed that Flint had taken his own life and update the statement on their website.
"It is with deepest shock and sadness that we can confirm the death of our brother Keith Flint who sadly took his own life over the weekend. We thank you for respecting the privacy of all concerned at this time."
3. He had issues with drugs.
There was a period in 2004 during his musical career with Prodigy where he was not featured on the album. Howlett had disowned their hit single "Baby's Got A Temper" because it included a controversial lyric about Rohypnol the "date rape."
Flint said that during this time, he became depressed and dependent on prescription drugs.
"I'd line up rows of pills and just take them and take them and I'd lose track of how many until I passed out," he told The Times in 2009.
4. He got clean when he met his wife.
It wasn't until Flint met his wife, Japanese DJ Mayumi Kai, that he decided to get sober. Around the time of their marriage in 2006, he gave up drugs, alcohol and even cigarettes. They got married in England at an undisclosed location and had a star-studded wedding list with guests like Liza Minnelli's estranged husband David Gest, former Busted star Matt Willis, Oasis rocker Liam Gallagher and Flint's former bandmate Howlett and his All Saints singer wife Natalie Appleton.
At the time of his suicide, Kai was reportedly working in Tokyo, Japan. She was preparing to DJ at a nightclub under her stage name DJ Gedo Super Mega B---h and appeared to have hosted a live stream with fans on Sunday afternoon.
Flint had often talked about his love for Kai.
"We were touring and she just walked into this room we were in, and you know how it is, I just couldn't talk, I was overwhelmed. I'd done my share of drugs and sh*gging around," he told The Times in 2009. "Look, we all like to get busy, but in truth I was a bit worn through with it."
He also talked about their future and what they like to do together when they're not working.
"We're not exactly planning to have children, but we're not planning not to either," he said. "We take one of the Range Rovers, and plan our route, and stay in hotels along the way, nothing lah-di-dah."
"We like to take picnics and sandwiches, driving through the green lanes. My wife loves the house, the dogs, and the animals we have around us, the deer and the fox that comes and pokes his head through the hedge,"
Prior to his marriage to Kai, he dated TV presenter Gail Porter until 2000.
5. He made an ominous prediction about his death.
Flint was known for his wild and eccentric lifestyle, one that included a lot of partying and women thanks to Prodigy's fame. He never liked playing by the rules and said that the "nanny state" would "turn us all into zombies." He once told a reporter that when he was done with fame, he would end his life.
"I’m not saving up for anything," he said. "I’m cashing it all now. I’ve always had this thing inside me that, when I’m done, I’ll kill myself. I swear to God that’s not suicidal — it’s definitely a positive thing. The moment I start s---ting the bed is when you’ll see me on the front of a bus."
Emily Blackwood is a writer and editor living in California. She covers all things news, pop culture, and true crime.