The life and legacy of Peter Forrest, the charismatic lead singer of 24-7 Spyz

In the song “Grandma Dynamite,” by the band 24-7 Spyz, the singer known as P. Fluid recounts his childhood in the rough-and-tumble South Bronx in the 1980s.

As the bullets fly, the grandmother in the song tells the singer that becoming a musician can “get you out of the ghetto” and off the streets.

The success of 24-7 Spyz did just that, elevating P. Fluid, born Peter Forrest, out of his neighborhood and onto stages across the United States and Europe. He was the captivating frontman of the pioneering Black Rock group when the group appeared on MTV and played concerts with Nirvana, Lenny Kravitz, the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Alice Cooper.

Despite the band’s success, Mr. Forrest left 24-7 Spyz for good in the mid-’90s. While his former bandmates continued to perform under the same name, he settled into an anonymous life as a taxi driver. ambulette in New York, carrying elderly and disabled passengers.

On January 13, some 30 years after he left the group, Mr. Forrest’s remarkable story came to a shocking end. Mr. Forrest, 64, was found beaten to death in his ambulance at the end of Castle Hill Avenue in the Bronx, just a few miles from where he grew up.

Those who knew Mr. Forrest were stunned and confused.

“No one should be taken away like this,” said longtime 24-7 Spyz guitarist Jimi Hazel.