WALTERBORO, S.C. — Former rapper Craig Mack, best known for the platinum 1994 hit ‘‘Flava in Ya Ear,’’ died Monday in his home in Walterboro, S.C. He was 47.

Colleton County coroner Richard Harvey said he apparently died of natural causes.

The Long Island, N.Y., native helped launch Sean “Diddy’’ Combs’ Bad Boy Entertainment with his first album, ‘‘Project: Funk da World.’’ It was anchored by ‘‘Flava in Ya Ear,’’ which was nominated for a Grammy. The remix also included LL Cool J, Busta Rhymes, and the then up-and-coming Biggie Smalls. His follow-up single, ‘‘Get Down’’ went gold.

‘‘Craig Mack you were the first artist to release music on Bad Boy and gave us our first hit. You always followed your heart and you had an energy that was out of this world. You believed in me and you believed in Bad Boy,’’ Combs said on social media. ‘‘I will never forget what you did for hip-hop.’’

After Mr. Mack left Diddy, he released a second album, ‘‘Operation: Get Down,’’ in 1997 but left the music industry and devoted his life to religion.

After news traveled of his death, the rapper was remembered by artists ranging from Questlove to Lin-Miranda Manuel to Missy Elliott.