Local rapper, Eric ‘Vicious’ Johnson  has passed away.

Family members say Johnson died of cancer.  Johnson was in jail at the time of his passing . His family had been trying for months to seek treatment in an effort to possibly shrink or control his cancer but were unsuccessful.

Johnson was serving a prison sentence in connection with the shooting death of Ray Ryan. 

Vicious came on to the scene in 1994 and released a number of albums.