Robert Maraj, the 68-year-old father of popular American rapper Nicki Minaj, has died after he was struck by a hit-and-run driver in New York.

In a statement on Sunday, Nassau County Police say Robert was killed after being hit by a vehicle on a road in Long Island, New York at around 6 pm on Friday.

“According to detectives, while walking in the roadway on Roslyn Rd at the intersection of Raff Ave, a 64-year-old male was struck by a northbound, undescribed, vehicle that left the scene of the accident,” the release stated.

Police said Mr Maraj was transported to a hospital in critical condition before he was pronounced dead by a hospital doctor on Saturday.

The Homicide Squad is investigating the case and asking any witnesses to the fatal crash to come forward. There was not a decent description of the suspect vehicle provided.

The 38-year-old rapper, who was born Onika Tanya Maraj in Trinidad and raised in the New York City borough of Queens, has not made any public statement about her father’s death.

The tragic news comes four months after the ‘Super Bass’ rapper welcomed her first child with husband, Kenneth Petty.

 

In other news, BBNaija Pepper Dem season winner, Mercy Eke, has shared a picture of her striking a pose with two Hermes bags she received from her man, Mr Montana as her Valentine gifts.

Mercy Eke shared the photo on her social media page, Instagram, as she appreciated her man for the gift.

”I love that feeling of being in love, the effect of having butterflies when you wake up in the morning.

Thank you baby for the gifts @official_mrmontana”she wrote