Singer and actress Shonka Dukureh who made her big screen debut as Willie Mae “Big Mama” Thornton in Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis has passed away at the age of 44 this Thursday, July 21, according to Nashville police. Dukureh was found dead in her Nashville apartment which she shared with her two young children. According to police, there were no signs of foul play.
In the film Thorton is an R&B singer who was the first to record Hound Dog, a song which was later popularized by Elvis Presley. Dukureh is also featured on the Elvis soundtrack as well as in Doja Cat’s music video for ‘Vegas’. Dukureh and Doja Cat performed together during the Coachella festival in April.
Dukureh shared her gratitude for the role in an Instagram post from July 13:
Gratefulness is where I live cuz my granny, gmama, momma, family modeled and instilled it in me. It isn’t a posture of less than or crumbs scraping, but one that acknowledges good things aren’t a guarantee and when we encounter them thankfulness, gratefulness is the least we can express.
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