AceShowbiz - DJ Clark Kent, real name Rodolfo Franklin, passed away on Thursday evening at the age of 58 after a private three-year battle with colon cancer. Born in New York to Panamanian-American parents, Franklin began his career in the 1980s Brooklyn hip-hop scene as a DJ for rapper Dana Dane. His breakthrough came in 1995 with the hit "Player's Anthem" by Junior M.A.F.I.A., a track that introduced the world to Lil' Kim and featured Biggie Smalls.

Franklin played a significant role in launching Jay-Z's career, producing several tracks on Hov's debut album "Reasonable Doubt." One of the standout moments in hip-hop history can be attributed to him - he introduced Jay-Z to Biggie Smalls and produced their legendary collaboration "Brooklyn's Finest." In an interview on Math Hoffa's "My Expert Opinion" podcast, Franklin recounted, "Biggie's going crazy about this beat and this other beat... I go upstairs, I track the beat, [Jay-Z] goes in, he does a record in, like, 15 minutes... I was like, 'Yo, you need to put Big on this, man.'"

Kent's prowess extended beyond Jay-Z and Biggie. He produced Mariah Carey's "Loverboy", a track from her 2001 film "Glitter." He also worked with other notable artists such as Queen Latifah, Kanye West, Redman, 50 Cent, Estelle and Slick Rick, remaining a key player in the industry over four decades.