Grammy-winning producer Sidney “Omen” Brown, who worked with some of music’s biggest stars including Beyoncé, Drake, and Lil Wayne, has died at the age of 49.
Brown was found dead in his East Harlem apartment on September 13, 2025, after family members checked on him when he failed to show up for a shift at Barawine, a local bar where he worked. His mother, Martha Brown, confirmed his passing to TMZ, adding that the family is awaiting results from the New York City Office of Chief Medical Examiner. The cause and manner of death remain pending.
His sister, Nicole Iris Brown, told NBC News: “We don’t know of him being sick, so this is all pretty sudden.”
A Harlem native, Brown rose to prominence in the 1990s and 2000s, producing for artists such as Mýa, Fabolous, and other talents from the Roc-A-Fella label. His breakthrough came in 2006 with Ludacris’ track Tell It Like It Is from the Grammy-winning album Release Therapy. That project earned him a Grammy Award for Best Rap Album in 2007.
Over the years, Omen collaborated with chart-topping artists including Drake, Beyoncé, Lil Wayne, Ludacris, Redman, and many others, solidifying his reputation as a visionary producer whose sound shaped an era of hip-hop and R&B.
Brown’s sudden passing leaves a void in the music community, with fans and collaborators mourning the loss of a creative force gone too soon.
