I am merely pointing out that there is more than one criteria for being a legend.

But when you're a rapper who was an integral part of one of the most popular rap groups ever, released two completely unique and widely loved albums, and served as the subject of a string of now-famous urban legends about you doing things like rescuing children from burning buildings, not to mention you're other documented antics, and THEN you die early from the very same thing people claim helped make you great in the first place,
I'd say yeah,
you're a hip-hop legend.