Sam Simon, the co-creator of The Simpsons, has passed away after battling colon cancer. According to Reuters, the 59-year-old producer died in his Los Angeles home on Monday (March 9).

Simpsons show runner Al Jean also confirmed the sad news via Twitter. “Just heard terrible news of death of @simonsam. A great man; I owe him everything,” he tweeted.

Simon left a huge impression in the entertainment world. Before developing The Simpsons, he wrote and produced several iconic television shows including Taxi, Cheers and the Drew Carey Show, among many others.

But couch potatoes will most likely remember Simon for The Simpsons. The classic prime-time series was created in 1989 by Simon, producer James Brooks and cartoonist Matt Groening. The cartoon show originally appeared as a short on The Tracey Ullman Show before landing on its permanent Sunday night 8PM ET time slot. The animated series now holds the record as the longest-running program in the history of television -- 26 seasons and counting.

In honor of Sam Simon, we take a look at some of the famous rappers and singers who paid a visit to the wacky world of Springfield. From 50 Cent to Pharrell Williams to Lionel Richie to even Tupac Shakur as a hologram, these artists and others poked fun at themselves on the show.

So here's our list of The Simpsons Greatest Rapper and Singer Cameos.

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