Charles Chambers, also known as “ghetto house” music pioneer DJ Funk, has died at the age of 54.

People reports that the music innovator was confirmed dead by his friend and collaborator DJ Slugo.

“He was one of the pioneers of the sound we call ghetto house music in Chicago,” Slugo wrote in an email statement to People. “We love and miss you my brother, and I won’t let our sound die.”

A cause of death was not confirmed, but Funk’s death comes days after his family launched a GoFundMe to help cover funeral costs as the musician was coming ot the end of a battle against stage 4 cancer.

Funk was an important influence in late ‘80s and early ’90s house music, whose work included tracks such as “Run” and “Work Dat Body.”

He was an constant figure in the Chicago music scene, and influenced artists such as Daft Punk, who recognized his work on their 1997 track “Teachers.”

To see the GoFundMe page, click here.