Former 24-7 Spyz singer and Black Rock Coalition co-founder Peter ‘P. Fluid’ Forrest murdered in New York

Peter ‘P. Fluid’ Forrest, founding member of New York funk-rock band 24-7 Spyz and the Black Rock Coalition, was murdered in the city on Monday, January 13.

According to news reports, Forrest, 64, was found Monday morning lying face down in a pool of blood in the back of the ambulette bus he was driving, having been severely beaten. His colleagues at the Long Island-based Marquis Ambulette company called 911 when he missed pick-ups and wasn’t answering phone calls. The New York Police Department is investigating the death as a homicide: no arrests have been made yet in connection with the murder.

Forrest founded 24-7 Spyz in 1986 with guitarist Jimi Hazel, bassist Rick Skatore, and drummer Kindu Phibes. The band blended hard rock with funk, soul, hardcore, jazz, and reggae, and were often compared by the media to their friends Living Colour. Forrest recorded two albums with the band, 1989’s “Harder Than You” and 1990’s “Gumbo Millennium”, but departed before they signed a major label deal with East West Records, which released their third album “Strength in Numbers” in 1992. The original lineup reunited for 1995’s “Temporarily Disconnected”, after which Forrest left again.

Speaking to Rolling Stone, Jimi Hazel remembered his former bandmate:

“What an interesting guy. I’m grateful to him because if we hadn’t met on the street in 1986, 24/7 Spyz would never have happened. You either loved him or hated him, but if you loved him, you loved him unconditionally. He was a tough guy, but he was a good tough guy.”