DJ Unk, the Atlanta hype man known for the snap hit 'Walk It Out,' has died

DJ Unk, who helped popularize snap music nationwide with his hit records “Walk It Out” and “2 Step,” has died.

Photo: WISH-TV

DJ Unk, the artist who helped popularize snap music nationwide with his hit records “Walk It Out” and “2 Step,” has died. He was 43 years old.

The news was confirmed by his wife, Sherkita Long-Platt, who posted the news to social media. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution also confirmed the artist’s death. He died of a heart attack, Long-Platt told TMZ.

“Please respect me and my family. I just lost my husband and my kids just lost their father,” his wife, Sherkita Long-Platt, posted on Facebook. “Our life will never be the same. I LOVE YOU ANTHONY FOREVER.”

Born Anthony Leonard Platt in Atlanta, Georgia, the hype man began his music career in the 90s. In 2006, he released “Beat’n Down Yo Block!,” which featured “Walk It Out” and “2 Step.”

“Walk It Out,” which hit the top 10 of Billboard's Hot 100 chart, would later receive a popular remix with Jim Jones and Andre 3000, the latter of whom DJ Unk revered.

“I never dreamed that he would get on a record like that because he’s so powerful as far as hip-hop and music and everything, so it’s a blessing,” the artist told Billboard in 2023. “That was a dream come true. It was like doing a song with Michael Jackson.”

In 2009, he suffered a heart attack, which prompted him to pursue a healthier lifestyle.

"I had some medical issues going on from not eating the right food and that just come from when I stopped taking care of myself. I got to get healthy not just for my sake but also for my kids and for my wife," he told XXL.