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R&B singer Johnny Kemp died Thursday morning while vacationing in Jamaica. He was 55. Kemp, best known for his party song “Just Got Paid,” had arrived in Jamaica on a cruise ship. It’s not yet known if the singer was traveling with anyone else, but Jamaica police said his body was found floating in a beach at Montego Bay.
It’s not clear what led to Kemp’s death, and police are still investigating the incident. Kemp began his singing career at the age of 13, performing at nightclubs in the Bahamas before relocating to New York with the group Kinky Fox in 1979. Kemp released the song “Just Got Paid” in 1988, and it reached the No. 1 spot on the U.S. Billboard R&B chart. It was also No. 1 on the dance charts, and led to to Kemp receiving a Grammy nomination for Best R&B song in 1989.
The former boy band ‘NSYNC famously covered “Just Got Paid” for their 2000 album No Strings Attached. Kemp’s other hit songs include “Birthday Suit,” “Just Another Lover,” “Cover Girl,” and “Penthouse Lover.” Kemp also made an appearance on Keith Sweat’s 2007 concert DVD “Sweat Hotel Live,” along with Teddy Riley, Charlie Wilson, Silk and Jackie McGhee. Kemp is survived by his wife, Deidre, and two sons.
