Rob Pilatus

Robert Pilatus (right), 1990

Robert Pilatus (also "Rob"; June 8, 1964 or 1965 – April 2, 1998) was an American-German model, dancer and singer. He and musician Fabrice Morvan were the musical group Milli Vanilli.

Pilatus and Morvan released an album called Girl You Know It's True. This album sold seven million copies.[1] Later people learned that Pilatus and Morvan did not actually sing on the album. When they performed songs from the album on stage, they had lip-synched instead of singing.

After not making a record for a long time, Pilatus and Morvan made the album Rob & Fab. That album sold only 2,000 copies. The record label went bankrupt shortly thereafter.

Pilatus was born in Munich to a German mother and African-American father.[2] He was adopted as an infant and raised in Munich. He tried to commit suicide many times.[3][4] He was found dead in a Frankfurt hotel from a mix of alcohol and prescription pill accidental overdose. He was in his early 30s.

References

  1. Philips, Chuck (November 20, 1990). Milli Vanilli's Grammy Rescinded by Academy : Music: Organization revokes an award for the first time after revelation that the duo never sang on album. http://articles.latimes.com/1990-11-20/news/mn-4948_1_milli-vanilli. 
  2. "Milli Vanilli's Rob Pilatus Dead at 32". Rolling Stone Music. April 6, 1998. Archived from the original on 8 September 2012. Retrieved 4 September 2012.
  3. "Pilatus Dead". MTV. Retrieved September 11, 2014.
  4. "Robert Pilatus, Performer in Disgraced Band Milli Vanilli". New York Times. Retrieved September 10, 2014.