Michael Sumler, Kool & the Gang’s Beloved Hype Man, Dead at 71

Kool & The Gang‘s Michael Sumler passed away over the weekend at the age of 71.

As reported by Fox 5 Atlanta, Sumler — known by fans as “Chicago Mike” — died in a car crash in Georgia’s Cobb County just after midnight on Saturday (May 24) when he collided with another vehicle on Veterans Memorial Highway near Buckner Road.

Sumler spent more than three decades with Kool & The Gang and was known for being the group’s energetic hype man during live shows. “He always wanted to see other people succeed in the business that he’d been around most of all of his life,” Adrian Meeks of Song Source Music Group told Fox 5. “He was the bridge, you know, for inspiring artists and songwriters and producers and musicians to the legends.”

Mableton’s Mayor Michael Owens also released a statement on Facebook in the wake of Sumler’s death. “We are saddened by the death of musician Michael Sumler,” he wrote . “‘Chicago Mike’ contributed so much to the music and entertainment communities. His style and energy added flare and excitement to Kool and the Gang for decades.  The city of Mableton, council members and I join his family, friends and fans in mourning his loss.”

Sumler is just the latest member of the group to pass away. Kool & The Gang’s drummer George Brown most recently passed in 2023 after a battle with cancer.

The band has won two Grammys and seven American Music Awards and registered 31 gold and platinum albums to date. The group was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame back in 2024.