Former AND1 Mixtape Tour star Taurian "Air Up There" Fontenette has died at the age of 43, according to a report from the Houston Chronicle. Fontenette, a native of Hitchcock, Texas, rose to prominence on the streetball circuit and captured the AND1 tour championship in 2005.
Known for his high-flying dunks and playground flair, Fontenette became a fan favorite during the peak of the AND1 Mixtape Tour's popularity in the early 2000s. He attended Hitchcock High School before taking his game to the professional streetball stage, where his aerial artistry earned him the enduring nickname "Air Up There."
A photograph from June 27, 2006, shows Fontenette watching practice at Fonde Recreation Center in Houston ahead of an AND1 tour stop at Reliant Arena. The image, captured by Houston Chronicle photographer Steve Ueckert, documents his participation during the tour's height.
Details surrounding the cause of death were not immediately disclosed. Fontenette's passing marks the loss of one of the most recognizable figures from the AND1 era that brought streetball culture to a global television audience.
