'He put his mark in the history books': DJ Spinbad dead at 46, music world reacts

DJ Spinbad, real name Chris Sullivan, has died at 46.

Comedian Russell Peters, for whom Sullivan used to DJ, confirmed Sullivan's death to USA TODAY Wednesday.

"Christopher Spinbad Sullivan was more than a friend, DJ and mixed-tape pioneer; he was my friend and brother. And to his kids, Kari and Ko, he was dad," Peters said in a statement. "He will be sadly missed and there is a hole in my heart."

Following Sullivan's sudden loss, Peters said he's unsure when "life will get back to normal and I can perform again." He added, "When I do, it will feel empty on stage without being able to look back and see him there.”

Peters remembered Sullivan on Instagram with an emotional tribute.

"This is a post I had hoped I’d never have to make but it’s with a broken heart that I have to say, bye to my brother, my friend, my DJ, one of the most creative and brilliant minds I’ve ever known," Peters captioned a series of photos of him and Spinbad.

He continued: "I can’t believe you’re not here anymore... trying to find the right pictures of us has me all (expletive) up and crying, because we have waaaay too many memories together... I love you my brother and I don’t know how to keep it together."

DJ Spinbad toured with Peters for many comedy shows and is credited on the Canadian comedian's stand-up specials over a span of eight years, according to IMDb.

Iconic DJ A-Trak paid tribute to Spinbad, noting his influence on music.

"The level of artistry that he put into his mixtapes... he sent everyone back to school. Those '80s Mega Mix' tapes changed the game, straight up," A-Trak, real name Alain Macklovitch, captioned an Instagram photo of Spinbad. "He put his mark in the history books. Always such a nice humble dude too. This is too sad. Sending love to his family and close ones."

DJs from across the world honored Spinbad with posts and messages praising his talent.

U.K. based DJ, DJ Yoda paid his respects to Spinbad by re-creating his "legendary '80s mix" on a live streaming platform called Twitch.

DJ Jazzy Jeff, known for playing Jazz on "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air," also shared photos of Spinbad to Instagram writing: "This 1 hurts bad...My friend and amazing DJ...May you rest well next to your mother. We lost a GREAT 1!!!."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: DJ Spinbad dead at 46; Russell Peters, more mourn artist