Jacksonville lost one of its loudest and most loyal champions Monday. Billy “Bigga Rankin” Plummer, the DJ, promoter and community mainstay who helped shape Southern hip hop for more than three decades, has died, his family announced.
Plummer was a constant presence in the city’s music scene, from club nights and mixtapes to charity drives and neighborhood events. His family said funeral and celebration of life plans are still being worked out and will be shared once finalized. They also stressed that his K.I.N.G. Foundation’s Back-to-School Community Day is still a go on Aug. 8 at A. Philip Randolph Park, a detail they confirmed in a statement to News4JAX.
In that statement, the family wrote that “it is with great sadness” they were sharing the news and confirmed that Plummer died on July 20, 2026. They repeated that more information about public services would come later.
Local legacy and honors
Over more than 30 years, Plummer helped build Jacksonville’s hip hop infrastructure from the ground up, plugging artists on mixtapes, packing out club shows and creating the Diamond Awards to spotlight regional talent.
City leaders recently put that influence on the record. In April, the City Council approved a resolution honoring his work and recognizing Cool Runnings DJs, the crew he founded, as documented in the Jacksonville City Council agenda. Music writeups credit Plummer with helping break Southern acts and with launching Cool Runnings back in 1990, as noted on Bandmine.
Community work will continue
Even as the family grieves, they say the work that mattered so much to Plummer will not stop. The K.I.N.G. Foundation will still host its Back-to-School Community Day on Aug. 8 at A. Philip Randolph Park, offering free backpacks, food and activities for local families.
The event is also listed on the station calendar for 93.3 The Beat, which has been promoting the annual drive.
What he built
Plummer often said that mentoring younger artists and pouring into his hometown were just as important as any club booking. He produced the Diamond Awards for years and used his platform to amplify local and regional voices that might otherwise have been overlooked.
Local reporting has also noted that Plummer battled COVID-19, later lost a kidney and required dialysis, details he discussed publicly in interviews with News4JAX.
For now, his family and local organizers are asking for privacy as they finalize funeral plans. They are also encouraging supporters to turn out for the Aug. 8 community day as a way to honor what he started. For updates and volunteer information, visit the K.I.N.G. Foundation.
