Joan Rivers Dead at 81, Hip-Hop and R&B Community Reacts

Joan Rivers, an iconic comedian and television host, has passed away at the age of 81. Her daughter, Melissa Rivers, confirmed the sad news in a statement on Thursday (Sept. 4).

"It is with great sadness that I announce the death of my mother, Joan Rivers. She passed peacefully at 1:17 p.m., surrounded by family and close friends," she said. My mother's greatest joy in life was to make people laugh. Although that is difficult to do right now, I know her final wish would be that we return to laughing soon."

The lauded entertainer stopped breathing while undergoing surgery on her vocal cords at a New York clinic on Aug. 28 and had to be transported to Mount Sinai Hospital where they placed her in a medically induced coma.

Rivers was a brassy, self-deprecating comedian who was never afraid to be politically incorrect. No topic was off limits and she had the ability to be shocking and endearing at the same time. Her signature catchphrase, “Can we talk?," signaled it was time for her to gossip about celebrities and their indiscretions.

The veteran comedian had a lengthy career as host of E!'s 'Fashion Police,' in which she critiqued the unfortunate red carpet choices of Hollywood celebrities. She was also a best-selling author of several books including the latest, 'Diary of a Mad Diva.'

The sad news of Joan Rivers' death has swept the Twitterverse. The hip-hop and R&B community have expressed their condolences on their timelines. Read their tweets about the late Joan Rivers below.