Actor Bill Nunn, Famously Known As Radio Raheem, Dies of Cancer

Bill Nunn as Radio Raheem

Actor Bill Nunn, known for his momental role as Radio Raheem in Spike Lee’s “Do the Right Thing“, has died. His wife, Donna, confirmed that he passed Saturday at his home in Pittsburgh. He was 63 and had been battling cancer.

Nunn made his acting debut in the 1988 Spike Lee film School Daze, and is also known for his role as Nino Brown’s bodyguard Duh Duh Duh Man in New Jack City.

Some of his other film credits include Lee’s Mo’ Better Blues and He Got Game, as well as Regarding Henry, Sister Act, Canadian Bacon, The Last Seduction, Things To Do In Denver When You’re Dead, New Jack City, Runaway Jury, Spider-Man trilogy (as Joseph “Robbie” Robertson), Firehouse Dog, the television series The Job, Randy and The Mob, and the televised adaptation of A Raisin in the Sun. 2016.

Spike Lee shared thoughtful posts about Nunn on Instagram.

My Dear Friend, My Dear Morehouse Brother- Da Great Actor Bill Nunn As Most Of You Know Him As Radio Raheem Passed Away This Morning In His Hometown Of Pittsburgh. Long Live Bill NUNN. RADIO RAHEEM Is Now RESTING IN POWER. RADIO RAHEEM WILL ALWAYS BE FIGHTING DA POWERS DAT BE. MAY GOD WATCH OVER BILL NUNN.

A photo posted by Spike Lee (@officialspikelee) on Sep 24, 2016 at 10:56am PDT

Radio Raheem. Let me tell you the story of Right Hand, Left Hand. It’s a tale of good and evil. Hate! It was with this hand that Cane iced his brother. Love! These five fingers, they go straight to the soul of man. The right hand: the hand of love. The story of life is this: static. One hand is always fighting the other hand, and the left hand is kicking much ass. I mean, it looks like the right hand, Love is finished. But hold on, stop the presses the right hand is coming back. Yeah, he got the left hand on the ropes, now, that’s right. Yea, Boom, it’s a devastating right and Hate is hurt, he’s down. Ooh! Ooh! Left-Hand Hate KOed by Love. If I love you, I love you. But if I hate you…Mookie: there it is, Love and Hate. Raheem I love you bruh…

A photo posted by Spike Lee (@officialspikelee) on Sep 24, 2016 at 12:04pm PDT

These Are The Nike Air Revolution’s (1988) Worn By Bill Nunn In His All Time Classic Iconic RADIO RAHEEM As He Was Murdered By The NYPD In The Infamous Michael Stewart (1983) And Eric Gardner (2014) CHOKEHOLDS. REST IN PEACE.

A photo posted by Spike Lee (@officialspikelee) on Sep 24, 2016 at 12:24pm PDT

An Original Poem By Lemon Andersen …And than there was Radio Raheem, Flat top, tight fade, Built like an ’89 NY Giant, The Majestic Brother you could hear two blocks away in any direction pumping Public Enemy from the horns of his Ghetto Blaster, the Conscience brother who wanted nothing but to be alone and live in the loud solace of his Radio… A Young, Black, Beautiful Man who died in the hands of Blue Fear and White Fury. People walked across the street when Radio Raheem came down the Block, the Starch in his frame scared them away from the Gap in his smile. The four fingered rings were seen like Brass knuckles when if you stopped him like Mookie did as the sun set On that Hot summer day in BK, Brooklyn You would see Raheems hands like his mind were worth its weight in Gold.

A photo posted by Spike Lee (@officialspikelee) on Sep 24, 2016 at 1:39pm PDT

We send our sincere condolences to Bill Nunn’s family.

[Photo: Instagram]

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