Jas Waters, best known for being a staff writer on This Is Us and Kidding, died Tuesday. She was 39.
The news was confirmed by the NBC series. A statement shared on Twitter Wednesday read: “The entire #ThisIsUs family was devastated to learn of Jas Waters passing. In our time together, Jas left her mark on us and ALL over the show.”
“She was a brilliant storyteller and a force of nature,” the somber statement continued. “We send our deepest sympathies to her loved ones. She was one of us. RIP @JasFly.”
The cause of death was suicide by hanging, the Los Angeles County Coroner confirmed Thursday.
Waters began her career in entertainment as a hip-hop journalist, writing for Vibe, among other publications. Throughout her decades-long career, she also lent her talents to the Taraji P. Henson–led film, What Women Want.
Many in the hip-hop community remembered Waters on social media. Here are just a few tributes to the late journalist and writer:
Our thoughts and prayers go out to Waters’s family and friends at this time. May she rest in peace.