B2K singer De’Mario “Raz-B” Thornton and his wife, Mona Li Thornton, are mourning the death of their 3-month old son Astro.
“It is with heavy hearts that we announce the unexpected passing of Astro Monte Thornton, beloved son of Mona and De’Mario ‘Raz B’ Thornton of the R&B supergroup B2K,” the couple’s spokesperson, David Robinson, told USA Today on Thursday, September 10. “The family asks for privacy as they navigate this difficult time. They truly appreciate your love and support.”
No cause of death has been made public at this time.
Us has reached out to Raz-B’s representatives for more information.
Raz-B, 41, and Mona Li are also parents to son Versai Carter Thornton, who was born in October 2024. (Mona Li has an older daughter from a previous relationship as well.)
Mona Li confirmed she was “nine months pregnant” in April while celebrating the end of B2K and Bow Wow’s coheadlining Boys 4 Life tour.
“What people see on stage is the talent, the dancing, the performance. What they don’t see is the pain you push through every single night. And still, you show up and give everything like it’s effortless,” she wrote to Raz-B.
Mona Li added, “Thank you for letting me share this journey with you babe. 9 months pregnant and outside w my man ha. I know you didn’t just do this for yourself you did it for your family, for your future, and for the legacy you’re building.”
In May, Raz-B shared a new family photo while revealing that he and Mona Li were getting ready to welcome their second child together.
“Right now we’re at the hospital getting ready to welcome our newest addition, Astro 🚀👶🏾 another baby boy to the Thornton family,” he wrote on May 16. “Big congratulations to my beautiful wife for being so strong through this journey. Watching you become a mother again is one of the greatest blessings I could ever witness. The Thornton family continues to grow… and our legacy does too.”
Five days later, Raz-B penned a moving tribute to his wife, in which he thanked her for giving him “such a beautiful family.”
“Watching you be a mother, a partner, and the heart of this family makes me love and respect you even more every single day. Through all the ups and downs, you’ve stood beside me and helped make this journey long, meaningful, and beautiful,” Raz-B wrote at the time.
The musician added, “I appreciate your strength, your patience, your loyalty, and the way you love all of us. I just want you to know that I see it, I feel it, and I’m forever grateful for you. I love you more than words can explain.”
The family officially celebrated their new arrival with a post on older son Versai Carter Thornton’s Instagram account on May 23.
“Best week ever 🥹💙✨ We welcomed my new baby brother Astro into the family, and it already feels amazing being a big brother,” the post read. “Even during such a special moment, my mom and dad still made sure to love on me and make me feel special.’
Raz-B is best known for forming the ‘90s R&B group B2K with Lil’ Fizz, J-Boog and Omarion, with whom he scored a Billboard No. 1 hit in 2002 with “Bump, Bump, Bump,” a collaboration with Sean “Diddy” Combs.
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