Since Nipsey Hussle was tragically gunned down in front of his clothing store on Slauson Ave and Crenshaw Blvd three years ago, at least four well-known rappers have been killed in the Los Angeles area, making the region one of the most deadly for rap artists, according to an analysis of data compiled by L.A. TACO.
Less than a year after fans lost Hussle, Pop Smoke, the 20-year-old Brooklyn rapper who emerged from the New York City “drill” scene as one of the most promising east coast talents in years, was allegedly shot and killed by a 15-year-old over a Rolex watch that was ultimately sold for just $2,000.
Then late last year, one month after paying tribute to his friend Young Dolph, rapper Slim 400 was shot to death in Inglewood. Surveillance video footage shows an assailant ambush the rapper while he sits in a vehicle.
Less than two weeks later, Drakeo The Ruler, the South L.A. underdog who spent three years in an L.A. County jail cell before famously beating a possible life sentence, was jumped and stabbed to death shortly before taking the stage at an L.A. music festival. The back-to-back killings, long-standing beef between YG’s camp and Drakeo’s Stinc Mob as well as a searing eye-witness testimony from LA Magazine reporter Jeff Weis, fueled speculation that the murders were connected.
Four days after Drakeo was killed, Early Swavey, the “Bompton” protege of the late ASAP Yams, tweeted about the murder. “I'm mad niggas kilt drakeo (sic) now it ain’t nothing funny to watch Ona gram (laughing emoji).” Ironically it was his final post on the social media platform. Three weeks later, 26-year-old Swavey was fatally shot near the University of Southern California (USC) after reportedly opening fire on five people at a party, sending them to the hospital, according to police and the medical examiner.