Lynnette Hardaway, the “Diamond” of the famed conservative duo Diamond and Silk, died Monday, according to the pair’s official Twitter account.
She was 51.
“The World just lost a True Angel and Warrior Patriot for Freedom, Love, and Humanity! Diamond blazed a trail, founded on her passion and love for the entire race of humanity,” the family wrote on a fundraising page for her memorial service, to which they linked on Twitter.
The campaign for the services, the details of which would be annpnced later, began shortly after former President Donald Trump announced Ms. Hardaway’s death on his Truth Social platform.
“In this time of grief, please respect the privacy of Diamond’s family but remember and celebrate the gift that she gave us all!” the family wrote.
The family did not immediately provide the cause of death.
Ms. Hardaway and her sister Rochelle Hardaway Richardson rocketed to fame in the mid-10s as outspoken supporters of Mr. Trump on YouTube.
They voiced their views with plenty of sass and denunciations of liberals, especially for their frequent playing of the “race card” including against the two Black women.
“Really bad news for Republicans and frankly, ALL Americans. Our beautiful Diamond, of Diamond and Silk, has just passed away at her home in the state she loved so much, North Carolina,” Mr. Trump wrote Monday evening on his Truth Social site.
“Silk was with her all the way, and at her passing,” the former president wrote. “There was no better TEAM anywhere, or at any time,” he added.
“Rest In Peace our Magnificent Diamond, you will be greatly missed!” he concluded.
Other Republican politicians offered condolences on social media.
“My heart[] breaks upon hearing of the tragic loss of our friend Diamond. Her personality was bigger than life with an infectious faith that undoubtedly led thousands to Christ. Her love for this country was strong and true. Rest in Peace beautiful lady. Prayers for Silk & family,”
wrote Tudor Dixon, last year’s Republican nominee for governor of Michigan.
Diamond and Silk appeared several times at Trump rallies in 2015 and 2016, and testified before Congress during his presidency, on such issues as immigration crackdown and social-media censorship.
From 2018 to 2020, they had a show on the Fox News streaming service and regularly appeared on the news network’s shows. However, that relationship ended in April 2020 after comments the pair had made doubting the official number of deaths from COVID-19, accusing the CDC of doctoring them to make Mr. Trump look bad.
Since leaving Fox, the two women’s largest outside platform has been “Diamond and Silk: Crystal Clear,” which played Saturday on Newsmax TV.
They also wrote a best-selling book “Uprising: Who the Hell Said You Can’t Ditch and Switch? — The Awakening of Diamond and Silk,” which the conservative publisher Regnery released in 2020.
