DJ AM Found Dead
[artist id="1562979"]DJ AM[/artist] was found dead in his New York City apartment on Friday (August 28), his rep confirmed to MTV News. He was 36.
"Adam 'DJ AM' Goldstein was found deceased this afternoon in his New York City apartment," reads a statement from AM's rep. "The circumstances surrounding his death are unclear. Out of respect for his family and loved ones, please respect their privacy at this time."
TMZ, citing a police source, reported that DJ AM (real name: Adam Goldstein) was found in his apartment at 5:20 p.m. ET on Friday. Citing "sources," the site also claimed that prescription medication bottles had been found near his body. The site said that friends who had previously gone to check on Goldstein had received no response. When police broke in the door, they reportedly found Goldstein's body.
The news comes just under a year after Goldstein and [article id="1595303"]Travis Barker survived a plane crash[/article] that killed four people. Leaving from Columbia, South Carolina, after a performance by the duo, the small Learjet they were on crashed upon takeoff -- giving the two musicians serious burns and leaving them in critical condition. AM and Barker performed as the house band at the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards, just weeks before the plane crash.
Born in Philadelphia, Goldstein gained fame as a member of the band Crazy Town, best known for their hit song "Butterfly."
He performed on albums with the likes of Madonna, Will Smith and Papa Roach, played in concert with Jay-Z, and made a name for himself on the private club circuit while DJing at private parties for the likes of Ashton Kutcher, Jennifer Lopez and Leonardo DiCaprio. Most recently, he had an exclusive contract with a Las Vegas nightclub, and had continued to collaborate with Barker after the crash.
Before his death, Goldstein had filmed a substance-abuse intervention show with MTV called "Gone Too Far" that aimed to warn young people about the perils of drug abuse. The show was scheduled to premiere in October.
"Adam 'DJ AM' Goldstein's death is an incredible loss to the music community, his friends, family and his fans, and to those of us who had the privilege of working with him," MTV said in a statement. "MTV was honored to support him as he helped young people battle their own addictions. Our heartfelt thoughts go out to his family."
The last post on DJ AM's Twitter account,
dated August 25, quotes Grandmaster Flash's 1983 classic "New York New York": "New york, new york. Big city of dreams, but everything in new york aint always what it seems." Posts from two days earlier wrote about his throwing out the first pitch at a New York Mets game, which was reportedly his last public appearance. "I made it to the plate! DEF not the best pitch, but I didn't bababooey it, so I know it wasn't the worst! Still was an honor," he wrote.
Goldstein was a frequent tabloid target because of his relationships with Mandy Moore and Nicole Richie. He was engaged to Richie but the couple split late in 2005.
In a brief interview with TMZ at his birthday party in March, Goldstein referenced the plane crash when asked what his best birthday gift was: "Life."
MTV News will have more on this story as it develops.
