‘America’s Got Talent’ finalist Zuri Craig dies at 44

• Singer Zuri Craig died at the age of 44.
• Tyler Perry discovered him on YouTube.
• How did he die?

Zuri Craig, a member of the Craig Lewis Band and season 10 finalist on America’s Got Talent who was discovered by Tyler Perry on YouTube, died Friday at age 44, his family announced Sunday. His cause of death has not yet been revealed.

«It is with profound sadness that we announce the transition of our beloved son, brother and friend Zuri Craig,» his family confirmed via a tribute posted on Craig’s social media accounts, Craig’s ZoReMi Entertainment on Sunday.

What happened to Zuri Craig?

“We thank you in advance for your prayers. Please honor our privacy during this unimaginable time of mourning.» Although the cause of death was not revealed, the post noted that more information would be “coming soon”.

After posting a version of the theme song from The Brady Bunch on YouTube in 2008, Craig and his musical partner Jeffrey Lewis caught the attention of director Tyler Perry, who skyrocketed the duo’s career when he invited them to join his musical Madea’s Big Happy Family. FILED UNDER: Zuri Craig Dies

Zuri Craig’s big debut

Several years after collaborating with Perry on Madea’s Big Happy Family and A Madea Christmas in the early 2010s, Craig and Lewis made their debut on AGT in 2015, where the pair left their mark on the show through memorable versions of Mary J. Blige’s I‘m Goin’ Down.

It earned a gold buzzer from Michael Bublé. They also impressed with a version of James Brown’s It’s Man’s World. Although the duo ultimately placed fifth, Craig Lewis’s band continued making music and most recently released an album titled Must Be Love in 2016. FILED UNDER: Zuri Craig Dies

His career in theater

Through Craig’s ZoReMi Entertainment, the singer directed several stage plays in recent years, including The Perfect Pastor, The Truth About Black Men, The House That Misery Built and A Social Media Christmas.

According to The Sun, Craig was set to produce the stage play Soul Food in Atlanta, Georgia in November and had posted a casting call for an original web series titled Black Hollywood in 2021. FILED UNDER: Zuri Craig Dies

He won over the audience of America’s Got Talent

Craig wowed audiences during his successful run on AGT in 2015, the outlet said. He and his partner Jeffrey Lewis showcased their impressive voice on the James Brown soul hit It’s a Man’s World. Later, they earned praise from host Michael Buble for their perfect Mary J. Blige-style rendition of I’m Goin Down.

Although they came far and proved to be favorites of both the public and the judges, they placed fifth in their season, reported TMZ. Tyler Perry discovered Craig and Lewis through their YouTube covers that were a hit early in 2009, and the couple was featured on Oprah. FILED UNDER: Zuri Craig Dies