Faithless star Maxi Jazz left staggering sum in his will – with 20 per cent of fortune going to Buddhist charity

Scottish Sun

6 days ago

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FAITHLESS rapper Maxi Jazz left a staggering sum in his will – including 20 per cent to a controversial Buddhist charity.
The dance music frontman, best known for 1995 club hit Insomnia, died from a long illness at his home in London in December 2022.
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Left to right Dave Randall, Maxi Jazz and Sister Bliss of British dance act Faithless
Credit: Redferns
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Maxi Jazz left more than £3million in his will
Credit: Getty Images - Getty
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Court docs show 20 per cent was left to a controversial Buddhist charity
Credit: Getty
New court documents show he left an estate worth £3,119,567, which was reduced by £60,000 after costs.
Documents seen by The Sun show he passed 20 per cent of the estate – £624,000 – to Soka Gakkai International (SGI), a Buddhist charity based in India.
Jazz, real name Maxwell Fraser, was a devout follower of Buddhism after his then-girlfriend introduced it to him in the early 1990s.
SGI follows the teachings of Nichiren Buddhism, which promotes personal empowerment through chanting.
The group has faced criticism from former members, though is one of the largest organised Buddhist groups in the UK.
Jazz had no children, meaning other beneficiaries in his will were pals.
The remainder of his estate was passed to his niece, Michaela, once she turns 30.
The 2019 will was signed off by the High Court last week.
Born in Brixton, South London, Jazz was best known for stints on pirate radio stations in the late 1980s and was nearly 40 when Faithless formed in 1995.
The band's name is said to have come from its frontman's retelling of his journey to Buddhism and his feeling of faithlessness before he converted.
Maxi penned the group's best hit, Insomnia, days after suffering a sleep-depriving tooth abscess, which left him writing music to numb the pain.
The group's success saw their music on the DJ decks of every nightclub in the country, and in 2002 they played to 100,000 people in a sunset slot at Glastonbury.
He fan spent 21 years in Faithless until he left the group in 2016 to form a blues-reggae band called Maxi Jazz & The E-Type Boys the same year.
Faithless led tributes to its former leader after Maxi was found dead at his South London home.
In an emotional statement at the time, they wrote: 'He was a man who changed our lives in so many ways. He gave proper meaning and message to our music.
"He was also a lovely human being with time for everyone and a wisdom that was both profound and accessible.
"It was an honour and, of course, a true pleasure to work with him.
"He was a brilliant lyricist, a DJ, a Buddhist , a magnificent stage presence, car lover, endless talker, beautiful person, moral compass and genius.' The star was a huge fan of Crystal Palace and became an associate director in 2012.
After his death, the South London side walked out to Faithless at Selhurst Park as a tribute.
Club chairman Steve Parish said: "He was such a huge talent, a massive supporter of the club in every way and just a wonderful kind-hearted man.
"He made the world dance, sing and laugh and someone I was privileged to call a friend. RIP Maxi."
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Jazz, real name Maxwell Fraser, was a devout follower of Buddhism
Credit: Getty