'There's no place like home'
'Home sweet home'
'Home is where the heart is'
In light of a recent atrocity however, you would be forgiven if the following quote is running through your mind at present...
'Home Is Where The Hatred Is'
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| Gil Scott-Heron |
The older heads may know the above quote from Gil Scott-Heron's classic song about drug abuse titled... Home Is Where The Hatred Is. The following generations may be familiar with that quote as it was sampled in Kanye West's sophomore classic Late Registration. For this post, that line came to me on a random one and it couldn't be a more fitting title as there have been numerous incidents in the hip-hop world validating that quote. I'm gonna run through some artists who have experienced some terrible incidents in their home town/city/state/etc that could well convince them that home is indeed where the hatred is.
Nipsey Hussle (KILLED)
There's no other way for me to kick this off other than with the Crenshaw hero that was Ermias Asghedom aka Nipsey Hussle. The Los Angeles native was gunned down outside his place of business, The Marathon Store on March 31st in an atrocity that has shocked, angered and saddened the world.
The spitter/entrepreneur/activist was doing great things for his community, in a relationship with actress beauty Lauren London and released grammy-nominated album Victory Lap a year before. Some say this was a case of jealousy. Some say the suspect and Nipsey had history which led to the shooting. Some conspiracy theorists speculate that this may have been an assassination due to his plans to release a documentary about Dr Sebi as well as his growing influence in his area. No one will ever know for certain.
Proof (KILLED)
The Detroit rapper was best known for being a member of the Eminem-led D12, a multi-platinum selling collective who were at the peak of their success during the early 2000s. Professionally, he was Eminem's partner-in-rhyme as well as his hype man. On a personal level, Deshaun Holton was one of Marshall Mathers' closest friends and was also the best man at his short-lived remarriage to Kim (yes, that Kim). There have been conflicting reports as to exactly what happened but on April 11th 2006, Proof got into an altercation with a man named Keith Bender in a Detroit club which resulted in both men dying from gunshot wounds.
There have been conspiracy theories surrounding Proof's murder due to his cameo appearance in the video of Eminem's 2005 hit Like Toy Soldiers (where he was shot and killed outside of a club in the video). Word is that he was portraying Bugz (a former D12 member who was also killed in his hometown of Detroit) in the video but it's eerie to see this happen in real life only a few years later. There have been video clips of Eminem himself voicing his regret of Proof's appearance in the video (sadly, YouTube have seemingly cracked down on illuminati vids so I can't find the necessary clips).
His death contributed to Eminem not releasing music for many years and D12 have not released a studio album since.
Obie Trice (SHOT)
Another Detroit rapper and also a protege of Eminem. Obie Trice (real name, no gimmick... couldn't resist) was signed to Shady Records and is best known for his platinum-selling debut album Cheers in 2003.
While driving down a highway in his hometown of Detroit on New Years Eve 2005, he was shot in his head. Luckily, Obie Trice survived the shooting but the bullet remains lodged in his head to this day.
It's not known to the general public who the shooter was but Obie Trice addressed the issue on the standout track to his sophomore album titled Cry Now.
50 Cent (SHOT)
We all know what happened to Curtis Jackson. The NY rapper was reportedly shot nine times outside of his grandmother's home in South Jamaica, Queens, New York. The 2001 incident permanently altered his rap voice due to catching a bullet in the face.
Since then, he became a mixtape legend; ruined the career of Ja Rule (who was arguably the biggest rapper at the time); sold millions of records; made a couple film/TV appearances. All that and he still makes time for ruthless internet trolling. A true workhorse.
50 Cent speaks on the incident on numerous songs including the classic Many Men.
Cassidy (INVOLVED IN A MURDER)
The technically-gifted Philly rapper is best known for his legendary freestyles, his battle against Freeway and songs such as I'm A Hustler and another called Hotel which featured some guy with a funny mask from Chicago... can't remember his name *shrugs*.
He was also in the headlines for a deadly incident that took place in his Philadelphia neighbourhood in April 2005. A shootout which involved Cassidy and his people against some friends-turned-enemies resulted in the murder of Desmond Hawkins and two others being wounded. Cassidy (real name Barry Reese) was charged with muder and was facing the death penalty but ended up being convicted of involuntary manslaughter instead and only served eight months in jail.
Cassidy hasn't regained the level of fame he had during the early-mid 2000s but was involved in a high-profile beef with Meek Mill and a rap battle with Dizaster.
Cassidy stated that jealousy played a role (watch from 16:00) as to why he eventually left his neighbourhood. He speaks on the incident on Innocent Man.
DJ Ironik (STABBED)
Who remembers DJ Ironik? The North Londoner had a couple of Top 10 hits during the late 2000s with the poptastic Tiny Dancer and Stay With Me.
On his way back home from a show, he was stabbed in the arse by two men as they tried to snatch his jewellery in Haringey. He fully recovered but that must have been a horrible experience to go through.
In regards to the incident, he stated '...I find it very low someone has to take what you have and what you work for'. Can't argue with that.
Crazy Titch (INVOLVED IN A MURDER)
Carl Dobson aka Crazy Titch was and still is a legendary figure in the Grime scene. He was best known for songs such as I Can C U, U Can C Me as well as his infamous clash with Dizzee Rascal. Seen by many as a bit of a loose cannon, the East Londoner's rising career was cut short in 2005 when he became caught up in a situation which saw a man named Richard Holmes murdered. His involvement in the Chingford shooting saw him sentenced to a minimum of 30 years in prison.
Still respected by many of Grime's leading artists, he featured on Stormzy's platinum-selling album Gang Signs & Prayers titled Crazy Titch Interlude.
Stack Bundles (KILLED)
The Queens rapper was a rising star having made tracks with the likes of Fabolous and DJ Clue as well as becoming a member of Jim Jones' group Byrdgang.
Sadly, the 24-year-old Rayquan Elliott was shot and killed outside of his home as he was returning from a nightclub in 2007. According to Stack Bundles' aunt Davida Wooten, he knew there were people jealous of his success and he was looking to relocate. His aunt is quoted 'He said they was hating on him but he didn't get out fast enough.'
Eight years later, 31-year-old Chinx (who was part of the same group as Stack Bundles, The Rockaway Riot Squad) was murdered in a drive-by shooting which also took place in Queens.
*FUN FACT*- Stack Bundles was room-mates with Lupe Fiasco back in 2001 when he lived in Chicago. They recorded a little-known tune together titled I Keep It Gutter.
Xxxtentacion (KILLED)
The youngest person on this list at 20 (apart from those included in the Drill Rappers category) and quite possibly the most controversial. Musically, Xxxtentacion was known for his dark content as well as being the leading figure of the 'Soundcloud rap' wave. His impact influenced most, if not all, of the face-tatted, mumble rappers you see today. Outside of music he was also charged though not convicted with some very serious crimes including domestic violence. He was also well known for having a very dedicated fanbase due to his social media interaction with his supporters.
On June 18th 2018 after leaving a motorcycle shop, Jahseh Onfroy was approached in his vehicle by a group of armed men that tried to rob him. The attempted robbery ended in bloodshed as Xxxtentacion was shot. Videos started to circulate showing the aftermath of the shooting before his murder had been announced to the world. This took place in Broward County, Florida where Xxxtentacion was born and raised. Several people have been arrested and charged with his murder but not yet convicted.
Big L (KILLED)
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| Big L (far left) Gerard Woodley (grey top) |
One of my personal all-time favourites, the gifted Harlem lyricist in my opinion had all the skills required to become one of the GOATs.
He was a member of the legendary D.I.T.C (Diggin In The Crates) which included the likes Lord Finesse, Fat Joe as well as Buckwild. His 1995 debut album Lifestylez Ov Da Poor & Dangerous even had features from Cam'ron and Jay Z who were relatively unknown at the time.
Still living in Harlem in 1999, the 24-year-old Big L was murdered in a drive-by shooting. The shooting was reportedly a response to something Big L's brother had done.
A childhood friend by the name of Gerard Woodley (pictured above with Big L) was arrested for the crime but was not convicted. He was also connected to numerous other murders. Gerard Woodley himself would be murdered in Harlem in 2016. When Big L referred to 139 and Lenox as the 'danger zone', it's clear he wasn't lying.
Before his untimely death, it was speculated that Lamont Coleman (Big L's real name) would sign with Roc-A-Fella records. In addition, he was working on his sophomore album The Big Picture which was posthumously released in 2000 and certified gold. He is still held in high regard by hip hop heads and viewed as one of the best to touch the mic.
J Hus (STABBED/JAILED)
In 2019, the UK rap scene is as popular as I've ever witnessed. With a top 10 single; a top 10 album and a huge fanbase, East Londoner J Hus is one of the biggest names in the game.
Rewind to 2015, J Hus was starting to make a name for himself with tunes like Want From Me and Dem Boy Paigon. Later that year, J Hus was stabbed five times and soon after made a post from his hospital bed on instagram stating 'Anti-CH, F the ova side' etc. J Hus hasn't overtly stated in public who was behind the attack though the post could imply that it was local rivals.
Possibly due to the incident mentioned above, J Hus was arrested in 2018 for knife possession at Stratford Westfield shopping centre (Stratford being J Hus' hometown). He was sentenced to eight months in jail and released early April.
Hours after his release, he made a surprise appearance at Drake's concert at the O2 arena receiving a hero's welcome.
Morgan (JAILED)
Battersea-based Morgan was a producer from the legendary garage collective So Solid Crew (notable members include rapper/actor Asher D aka Ashley Walters).
In 2005, he was sentenced to a minimum of 30 years in prison for the murder of a man named Colin Scarlett. The shooting occured in Tooting, a South London area close to Battersea, and reportedly started when the victim started dating Morgan's ex-girlfriend. The leader of So Solid, Megaman, was also charged but found not guilty.
Freaky Tah (KILLED)
Freaky Tah (real name Tahliq Rogers) was a member of the Queens, NY-based hip-hop group Lost Boyz. They had two gold-selling albums and were active during the late 90's.
On March 28th 1999, the hype man was shot outside of a hotel in Queens, NY in a drive-by shooting. The shooting was believed to be a result of a running feud. Three of the people involved were sentenced for the crime. His friend and partner-in-rhyme, Mr Cheeks speaks on the incident.
Soulja Slim (KILLED)
From the infamous Magnolia projects in New Orleans (the home of the Hot Boyz (except Lil Wayne), Birdman and Jay Electronica), rapper Soulja Slim is best known for his feature on Juvenile's Number 1 hit Slow Motion. Soulja also released 2 albums under No Limit including his debut Give It 2 Em Raw.
In 2003 at age 26, he was shot four times outside of his mother's house in New Orleans.
A man named Garelle Smith was arrested for the murder but due to lack of witnesses, the charges were dropped. A hood Houdini of sorts, Garelle Smith was charged with a further 3 murders but the charges were subsequently dropped due to a lack of evidence. Garelle Smith himself would eventually be murdered in New Orleans in 2011.
Drill Rappers (UK AND USA)
There's way too many to name to go through them one by one.
Notable names include Showkey (pictured far left), MDot (both Mdot and Showkey featured in a documentary called Gangland) and Icognito who were all from and killed in South London.
Notable names from USA would include Lil Jojo (pictured centre) who was killed in his hometown of Chicago South Side. It was well-documented that Chief Keef (a member of Black Disciples) posted a tweet laughing about what happened. Lil Jojo was a member of the Gangster Disciples. Different hood, same story.
I'm not the biggest listener of drill music but from what I've observed, the artists of this sub-genre ALL seem to be gang members and that goes for both countries. These artists more or less come across as gang members first and rappers second. Most of the content I've heard involves them throwing disses at people they're beefing with. I believe them being legitimate gang members is the main reason for why so many drill rappers have been killed, shot, stabbed, incarcerated etc.
I will recommend watching some videos. Here's one video regarding US drill rappers. This video is in regards to UK drill rappers.
To summarise... there was no conclusive point to this post other than that 'home is where the hatred is' line made me think about all of which I listed above and inspired me to write about it...
I would like to end this post with...
'2 all my brothas, it ain't 2 late 2 come 2gether/ cos 2 much black and 2 much love equal 4ever' Jay Z, 22 2's
Peace out!
