Kiki Shepard, the vibrant host who lit up the Showtime at the Apollo stage, has died at 74.

A representative for Shepard confirmed with NBC News that she died on Monday after suffering a heart attack in Los Angeles.

Shepard spent 15 years as part of the lineup of rotating hosts of "Showtime at the Apollo." A versatile performer, the Texas native and Howard University graduate, also made appearances on “Everybody Hates Chris,” “A Different World,” “NYPD Blue,” and Grey’s Anatomy.”

Born Chiquita Renee Shepard in Tyler, TX, she also danced with the D.C. Repertory Company to Broadway stages in the '70s and '80s, and rubbed shoulders with stars like Gregory Hines in shows such as “Comin' Uptight” and “Reggae.”

However, it was her “Showtime at the Apollo” gig from 1987 to 2002 that made her a household name. The variety show at Harlem’s iconic theater was a star-making stage, spotlighting rising talent and big names alike, with Kiki holding it down alongside rotating emcees like Steve Harvey, Sinbad, Mo'Nique, Rudy Rush, and Mark Curry.

Fans adored Sheophard’s sharp humor, grace on stage, and standout style — she was even crowned the “Apollo Queen of Fashion.”

Her family remembered her as “cherished Sister, Auntie, friend,” and a fierce advocate for sickle cell disease warriors, inspired by a friend's brother who battled it. She founded The K.I.S. Foundation to fight the illness that hits Black communities hardest, pouring her energy into empowerment and care. "KiKi's brightness, empathy, and mission will persist," they said, vowing to keep her legacy alive through the foundation.

“Life is too short,” said Curry in an Instagram post, accompanied by a photo of him and Shepard. “She was a good friend and she knew everybody.”

“Kiki Shephard enjoy your next journey,” said Mo'Nique in an Instagram tribute. “What a gift it was to know you and now what a gift it is to have you as a guardian ancestor.”

"Kiki – my BFF, my road dogg. What will we do without your light? Nobody did it like you. Rest easy, my dear sweet friend," said close friend and actress, Jackée Harry.

Shepard is survived by her sister, two nieces, and a nephew.