Chris Kelly, 34, who rose to fame as part of the 90s hip-hop duo Kris Kross, unexpectedly died of a possible overdose Wednesday and now his mother is speaking out.

"To millions of fans worldwide, he was the trendsetting, backwards pants-wearing, one-half of Kris Kross who loved making music," Donna Kelly Pratte wrote in a joint statement with Kelly's former record label, So So Def. "But to us, he was just Chris-the kind, generous and fun-loving life of the party."

Kelly, known as "Mac Daddy," was just a kid when rapper Jermaine Dupri discovered him and his rapping partner, Chris "Daddy Mac" Smith at an Atlanta mall. When they were 13, they released a multi-platinum album, "Totally Krossed Out," featuring their hit song, "Jump."

"Though he was only with us a short time, we feel blessed to have been able to share some incredible moments with him," the statement continues. "His legacy will live on through his music, and we will forever love him."